England will assess Declan Rice and Reece James before Saturday's meeting with Panama. Rice is the bigger concern after the Ghana draw, with heavy strapping on his left calf and recent hamstring issues adding to the uncertainty around his availability.
Rice's calf and hamstring issues
Rice was spotted leaving the stadium with heavy strapping on his left calf after the Ghana draw. He had also been taken off against Croatia with nerve pain in a sore hamstring he has been managing, although he completed the full match against Ghana despite going down on multiple occasions in the closing stages.
The warning signs are there, but the picture is not all negative. Rice said: "I was feeling a little bit of neural pain in my hamstring, which I was managing from after Christmas with Arsenal for a very long time. Obviously, not a lot of people would have known that. It was all behind-the-scenes stuff but it was a smart decision. In the end, that last 20 minutes is probably where you pick up the most, and it's where you play a 70‑minute match. But that last 20 is where you really feel your body going for it. And I think it was a smart decision because the last few days I felt really, really good."
His World Cup numbers underline why England will want him available. Rice has a 7.02 average rating across his two World Cup appearances, and he has played in both of England's matches so far.
James also waits on assessment
James completed the full game against Ghana, but he will be checked by medics over the next 24 hours. Thomas Tuchel said: "Both players will undergo further assessment at England's training base before Tuchel finalises his plans for Saturday's meeting with Panama."
England are top of Group L with 4 points after two matches, while Panama have 0 points after two matches. That gives Tuchel some room, but it does not remove the selection problem if either player is not passed fit in time for Panama vs England.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 5 outlets. How we work →