England defender Marc Guehi is scheduled for an assessment on Friday to determine his fitness for Saturday’s World Cup quarter-final match against Norway. The centre-back sustained a slight hamstring injury following England’s 3-2 victory over Mexico in the last 16 at the Azteca Stadium. Initially, it was hoped that Guehi’s condition was muscular fatigue, and he would be fit to play against Norway. However, it is now understood that the Manchester City defender has a hamstring strain.
If Guehi is unable to train with the squad on Friday, his inclusion in the match against Norway will be in significant doubt. The injury is not considered serious, but with Norway’s Erling Haaland, who has scored seven goals, to contend with, England head coach Thomas Tuchel may be hesitant to risk defenders who are not fully fit. Other central defensive options include John Stones, Dan Burn, and Trevoh Chalobah, should Guehi be unavailable.
Squad Fitness Concerns
Midfielder Declan Rice missed a second consecutive day of training due to a sickness bug. Rice has also been managing nerve pain in his hamstring and lower back since Christmas. He was forced to miss the third group game, a 2-0 victory against Panama, but has stated he can play through the discomfort. Measures have been taken by England to prevent the spread of the illness within the squad.
In more positive news for Tuchel, first-choice right-back Reece James returned to full training for the first time since suffering a hamstring injury during the goalless draw with Ghana. James did not complete the entire training session but is anticipated to be available to face Norway, provided he experiences no adverse effects from Thursday’s session. His return is a boost, particularly given the team’s challenges in the right-back position due to injuries and suspensions.
Jarell Quansah, who started at right-back against Mexico, received a red card in the round-of-16 tie and has been banned for two games. Newcastle’s Tino Livramento injured his calf before the tournament, leading to Chelsea central defender Trevoh Chalobah, who can also play at full-back, being called up as his replacement. These circumstances meant that Djed Spence was potentially the only natural right-back available for the match against Norway.
Team Dynamics and Preparations
Aston Villa centre-back Ezri Konsa, who can also cover at right-back, discussed filling in at that position during the victory over Mexico. He described the mental and physical challenge of adapting to the role, especially with the heat and playing with a man down. Konsa mentioned receiving encouragement from John Stones during the match, who even offered to swap positions. Konsa expressed his willingness to play wherever the manager requires him, as long as he can contribute to the team.
Jordan Henderson has rejoined the England camp in Kansas City after sustaining an arm fracture in a fall following the Mexico game. He underwent surgery in Mexico City. While it has been presumed that Henderson will not play again in the tournament, his teammate Morgan Rogers indicated that the players have not ruled him out. Rogers highlighted Henderson’s leadership and experience as valuable to the squad.
The England squad had a warm-down session in Kansas City on Monday and a full day off on Tuesday after the match against Mexico. Rogers noted the benefits of having a fixed base camp in Kansas City, which provides a sense of familiarity and comfort for the players, despite the travel involved for each match. Norway, in contrast, is travelling from venue to venue.
Norway’s Martin Ødegaard acknowledged the upcoming match against England as a significant test, comparing it to their previous game against Brazil. He stated that anything can happen in football and that Norway would give their best effort. Reports of sickness within the Norway camp were downplayed by Ødegaard and head coach Ståle Solbakken, with no concerns for Saturday’s match.
Morgan Rogers also spoke about Jude Bellingham, who has shown strong form during the tournament. Rogers suggested that Bellingham, at 23 years old, has his prime years ahead of him and that there is no limit to what he can achieve. Bellingham’s ability to perform in key moments has been noted by his teammates.
The World Cup quarter-final between England and Norway is scheduled to take place in Miami on Saturday.
Source: bbc.co.uk