Rice steps up as leader as he reaches half century

Arsenal midfielder will captain his country against Belgium on the occasion of his 50th cap and he becomes the fifth fastest Englishman to attain that landmark

- David Hytner

It is a story that bears retelling mainly because it will make people smile. It was early last week, the England squad have joined up at St George's Park for the Wembley friendlies against Brazil and Belgium, and Declan Rice bumps into John Stones. So, Arsenal versus Manchester City and, as everybody knows, it is Arsenal versus Manchester City after the international break - at the Etihad Stadium this Sunday. Well, not everybody, as it turns out.

"I said: 'Big game next," Rice says. "And John said: 'Who are you playing?' And I said: 'We've got you lot!' He said: 'Oh yeah.' He didn't even know they were playing us next! When he's away from football he likes to be with his family and switch off and I get that. He likes to take one game at a time."

Rice goes on to mention another member of City's England contingent - Kyle Walker, who damaged his hamstring in Saturday's 1-0 defeat against Brazil and is out of tonight's Belgium game. Walker has to be rated as a doubt for Arsenal.

"With Walks, he always has a little bit of banter, he's a great lad but inside us, we know what a big game it is going to be, a potential title decider," Rice says. "It is going to be really tough but if you want to get past that barrier of Arsenal being labelled as stuff, you have to go there and win.

"We have to show that steeliness and character to prove we can be one of the best teams. There's no doubt that City are the best team in the world at the minute but we have full confidence that we can get a result."