England's preparations for their second World Cup group stage fixture against Ghana on Tuesday are being overshadowed by fitness worries surrounding three pivotal players: Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford, and Declan Rice. The trio are all considered doubts for the Group L encounter set to take place in Boston, presenting a challenge for manager Thomas Tuchel and his medical staff.
The concerns emerged following England's opening 4-2 victory over Croatia. While Saka and Rashford both made an impact from the bench, combining for England's fourth goal, Declan Rice was forced off the field in the second half dueearing to clutch his upper right leg. Tuchel later confirmed that Saka, who has been managing a long-standing Achilles problem, is unlikely to feature in the starting XI against Ghana, with Noni Madueke expected to retain his place on the right wing. "Bukayo is ready and will get more and more ready," Tuchel stated after the Croatia match, indicating a cautious approach to his recovery.
Marcus Rashford also reported muscle tightness after his appearance against Croatia and is currently under close observation. Adding to the list of concerns, captain Harry Kane experienced cramp late in the Croatia game and was seen wearing strapping during subsequent training sessions, though his situation appears less severe than the other three. The cumulative effect of these knocks could impact Tuchel's selection choices significantly for what is a crucial group stage match.
Regarding Declan Rice's injury, Tuchel elaborated on the decision to substitute the midfielder. "Declan had some unusual ball losses and I saw a bit of discomfort," the England manager explained. "I asked him, and he pointed directly to his lower back, upper hamstring, that he feels the discomfort. I didn’t want to take any risk, so I decided to take Declan off – which I never wanted to do – but it was the moment to protect him." Morgan Rogers replaced Rice, with Jude Bellingham dropping deeper and Reece James later moving into midfield.
This spate of injuries follows an earlier setback for the squad, with Newcastle United full-back Tino Livramento withdrawing from the camp due to a calf strain. He was subsequently replaced by Chelsea's Trevoh Chalobah, highlighting the depth challenges England are already facing. The team is scheduled to train at their Kansas City base over the coming weekend before travelling to Boston for the Ghana fixture.
The potential absence or limited involvement of these key players could force Tuchel to re-evaluate his tactical approach and starting line-up, testing the squad's resilience and depth early in the tournament. England will be hoping for positive updates from their medical team as the match day approaches.