England suffer injury concerns before Norway with hamstring issue and sickness bug

England face Norway in the World Cup quarter-final with Thomas Tuchel dealing with some fitness concerns in the build-up to Saturday's match

1. England are preparing for a crucial World Cup quarter-final match against Norway this Saturday in Miami. Thomas Tuchel and his players alike are with the fallout and physical toll of their dramatic last-16 victory over Mexico.
2. Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka has declared himself fully fit and ready to play despite managing an ongoing Achilles issue. His minutes on the pitch have been carefully managed by the coaching staff throughout the tournament to ensure his recovery.
3. Saka has shifted his mindset towards making a significant impact on the game, regardless of how many minutes he plays. He emphasised that his primary focus is helping the team win, whether that involves scoring or defending.
4. The winger has called for calm following the euphoria of beating Mexico in the previous round. He noted that the squad must put that emotional drama behind them to focus entirely on the different challenge posed by Norway.
5. Chelsea defender Reece James is also hoping to feature in the squad after stepping up his recovery from a hamstring injury, as reported by Mirror Football. He has missed the last three games but is aiming to play at least some part in Saturday's showdown.
6. Including James in the starting line-up would represent a massive gamble for manager Tuchel given his recent lack of match fitness. However, his potential return provides a timely boost to a squad currently facing several defensive setbacks.
7. England are already guaranteed to be without defender Jarell Quansah for the upcoming match. The Bayer Leverkusen player is serving a two-match FIFA suspension following a red card received during the Mexico game.
8. Due to Quansah's absence, Thomas Tuchel is expected to deploy Djed Spence at right-back for the quarter-final. This choice allows the manager to keep his preferred central defensive partnership intact.
9. Concerns remain over central defender Marc Guehi, who has missed training sessions this week after picking up a slight hamstring injury in the win over Mexico. BBC Sport reports he is a doubt to face Norway if he cannot train on Friday.
10. While midfielder Declan Rice also missed training on Wednesday and Thursday as he battles a sickness bug. Rice already had a neural issue impacting his hamstring and lower back.