England put in another underwhelming performance at the Euros and were seconds away from crashing out in the last 16 in humiliating fashion.
But a 95th minute equaliser from Jude Bellingham saved Gareth Southgate’s neck and sent the game to extra-time where Harry Kane bagged the winner to send the Three Lions to the quarter-finals.
Once again, few players came away from Gelsenkirchen with much credit, with Bellingham awarded player of the match almost exclusively because of his stunning bicycle kick.
But England and Arsenal icon Wright believes another star put in an ‘unbelievable’ performance which has been largely overlooked.
Speaking on the Wrighty’s House podcast, he began: ‘Can I just say, Declan Rice’s game by numbers.
‘109 touches, 100% tackles won, 100% duels completed, 90% pass accuracy, 80 passes completed, seven out of seven long passes. The man had an unbelievable game.
‘An unbelievable game in a game where Jude and Harry will get the plaudits, but when you look at those numbers and stats, that’s how you are able to win that match.
‘Of course, Jude’s overhead kick was spectacular but these kind of numbers and what he’s doing would have disappeared into nothing if Jude doesn’t come up with this match winning ability that he has got.
‘Declan has got to get flowers for this game.’
Wright was also keen to praise the efforts of late sub Ivan Toney who provided the assist for Kane’s winner.
The former striker added: ‘People will say, “he just headed it back”. Ivan Toney headed that back into a place saying, “this is there for somebody to head. Go and head that”.
‘He didn’t try to get it on target, he headed back into a place for somebody to finish it off and that is exactly what happened. Man’s got an assist.
‘Came on and did the big No.9 [performance]. Hold up, make fouls, make it ugly.’
This was Toney’s first major tournament appearance and after his fine impact off the bench it probably won’t be his last, with Southgate likely to call upon the Brentford striker again if things get hairy in Saturday’s quarter-final against Switzerland.
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