Thomas Tuchel's Quansah update and the right-back problem hanging over England

Thomas Tuchel did not sound relaxed about Jarell Quansah after England's win over Panama. "Classic ankle twist. He's had it before, a matter of days, painful, he has his leg up high, ice. It will be a very tight race," he told football365.com, and that line mattered because England are already short at right-back.

Quansah started there against Panama because Reece James was ruled out with a hamstring injury. Valentino Livramento had already been lost the day before England's campaign began, so Tuchel was never working with a full set of options.

Quansah's injury update

The immediate concern is simple. Quansah hobbled off after 64 minutes following a challenge from Jose Luis Rodriguez, and Tuchel's update made clear that this is not a quick, neat recovery story. He is in pain, he has his leg up high and in ice, and the England staff are waiting to see whether he can recover in time.

The substitution picture is not much calmer. Djed Spence was already the fallback option available and played 30 minutes, which at least gives Tuchel another body at full-back. It does not solve the wider problem, though, because England have already had to reshuffle once before the knockout round.

England's right-back options before the knockout round

Tuchel's own words captured the scale of the issue. "Naturally of course we have another injury in the position. It will be a tight race for Reece James and a tight race for Jarell Quansah but it is our job to find solutions and we will do," he said to metro.co.uk. That is the awkward reality for England, who now have to plan for a right side that may again be patched together.

The broader picture from the Panama game was better, and that is why the injury noise feels so inconvenient. Jude Bellingham scored in the 62nd minute and Harry Kane added the second five minutes later, finishing a controlled 2-0 win that sent England through the group on seven points. Tuchel still wants more detail and more sharpness, but the tournament is now into the knockouts and his main immediate problem is not the attack. It is who can actually play at right-back.