Declan Rice withdraws from England squad following Brighton clash

Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice has withdrawn from the England squad ahead of upcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures due to injury. His absence follows a 3-0 Premier League defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion, where Rice was involved in a controversial on-pitch incident.

During the final moments of the match at the Amex Stadium, Rice retaliated against Brighton's Malick Yalcouye with a kick after a physical encounter. While Brighton supporters and various commentators argued for a red card, referee Darren England issued only a yellow caution. A VAR review determined the action did not meet the threshold for violent conduct, classifying it as petulant rather than malicious.

Rice joins several other high-profile players in withdrawing from Thomas Tuchel’s England squad, including Cole Palmer, Tino Livramento, Marcus Rashford, and Kobbie Mainoo. To fill the vacancies, England has called up James Garner and Morgan Gibbs-White.