England's World Cup defence hangs in the balance as their right-back woes deepened ahead of the crunch tie against DR Congo. Jarell Quansah, who filled Reece James' boots in recent victories, has joined his skipper on the injury list, leaving Thomas Tuchel with defensive headaches that just won't quit.
It's a crisis brewing at right-back for the Three Lions. Reece James was sidelined with a hamstring niggle before Panama came to town, and now Quansah's ankle injury has thrown a spanner in the works. Even Tino Livramento, who pulled out of the squad early on, had been an option – but he's also out with a calf strain. That leaves Tuchel with a right-back conundrum that's got everyone scratching their heads.
Tottenham's Djed Spence is now favourite to start at right-back, having stepped in for Quansah against Panama and started all three group stage matches as England topped Group L with seven points. But what if Tuchel wants a bit more experience on the flank? That could see Ezri Konsa shifted from centre-half, allowing John Stones and Marc Guéhi to form an unbreakable central defence partnership – but that's a risk in itself.
England's midfield is looking far brighter, though. Declan Rice is back in the fold for the DR Congo clash, and Jude Bellingham continues to light up the tournament with his goalscoring prowess. The Real Madrid midfielder has been instrumental in England's resurgence, having settled nerves against Panama with a stunning strike – his second of the World Cup – before teeing up Harry Kane.
As Tuchel praised: "He buys fully into all the things we demand as a team player, and then he brings his own individual quality to decide football games." That's exactly what England need from Bellingham in knockout mode. Back at their Kansas City base, they're fine-tuning preparations for the showdown against DR Congo. Marcus Rashford is set to keep his place on the left wing after a stellar performance against Panama – and Tuchel knows that adaptability will be key in the business end of the tournament.