England suffer injury concerns ahead of Norway with hamstring problems and poor fitness

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England will face Norway in the World Cup quarter-finals, but manager Thomas Tuchel has health concerns ahead of Saturday’s match.

Everything you need to know from the England camp ahead of Saturday’s World Cup quarter-final against Norway…

England are preparing for a crucial World Cup quarter-final match against Norway in Miami this Saturday. Thomas Tuchel and his players are similarly struggling with the aftermath and physical strain of their dramatic last-16 victory over Mexico. Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka has declared he is fully fit and ready to play despite having an ongoing Achilles problem. His time on the pitch has been carefully managed by the coaching staff throughout the tournament to ensure recovery. Saka has changed his mindset to having a big impact on the game, regardless of the minutes he plays. He emphasized that his main focus is to help his team win, whether it’s scoring or defending. The winger called for calm after the elation of defeating Mexico in the previous match. Mirror Football reports that Chelsea defender Reece James is also hoping to join the squad after accelerating his recovery from a hamstring injury. He has missed the last three games but is aiming to play at least part of Saturday’s showdown. Including James in the starting XI would be a big gamble for Tuchel, given his lack of fitness in recent games. However, his possible return would be a timely boost for a team currently facing some defensive stumbles. It has already been confirmed that England will be without defender Jarrell Quansah for their next game. The Bayer Leverkusen player received a red card against Mexico and has been suspended for two games by FIFA. Due to Quansah’s absence, manager Thomas Tuchel is expected to use Jed Spence at right-back for the quarter-finals. This choice allows the manager to keep his preferred central defensive partnership intact. Concerns remain over central defender Marc Guehi, who missed practice this week after sustaining a minor hamstring injury in the win over Mexico. BBC Sport reports that if he is unable to train on Friday, he is doubtful to play against Norway. Meanwhile, midfielder Declan Rice also missed training on Wednesday and Thursday as he battles illness. Rice already had neurological issues affecting his hamstring and lower back.