England's right side looks less settled than it did before the quarter-final, and Bukayo Saka has done most of the pushing. He came on at the break against Norway, was described as exceptional, and kept raising the level after halftime. Thomas Tuchel now has to choose whether to stay with Noni Madueke or lean toward the Arsenal winger for the semi-final against Argentina.
Saka's cameo against Norway
The key moment came five minutes from time, when Saka wriggled past his full-back before feeding a teasing ball across the face of goal. It was the kind of action that reminded England why he remains such a safe outlet on the right. Sports Mole also said he has now played for over an hour and could be ready to start in the semi-final.
His season numbers sit in the same lane. Saka has 3 assists in 274 minutes this season, and his 6.92 season rating across 6 appearances shows a player who has been steady rather than flashy, but still useful in a knockout selection debate. He also posted a 7.3 rating in his latest World Cup outing, which is a touch above Madueke's 6.9.
Tuchel's choice on the right
The argument for Saka is not complicated. Madueke has only 32 minutes in his latest World Cup appearance, so Tuchel has not exactly handed him the shirt and shut the door. Saka's bench impact against Norway, plus the cleaner end product, makes him the more convincing pick if the manager wants control rather than a punt.
That does not mean the decision is finished. Tuchel still has options on the flank, and the wider team picture remains fluid with Reece James returning after a muscular problem and Jarell Quansah suspended for the second game of a two-match ban. Even so, Saka has done enough to make the choice look obvious enough if he is fit. The semi-final is against Argentina, and Tuchel's right-side call will tell us plenty about how much weight he gives to form, trust and end product.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →