Thomas Tuchel has been handed more selection headaches ahead of England’s clash with Ghana at the World Cup.
Having beaten Croatia 4-2 in an impressive Group L opener in Dallas, the Three Lions will aim to make it two wins from two when they head to Boston on Tuesday.
Tuchel admitted there was healthy competition to start on both wings, after Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford came off the bench to combine for the fourth goal against Croatia, having replaced Anthony Gordon and Noni Madueke.
Tuchel must decide whether to stick with Gordon and Madueke or offer Saka or Rashford the chance to impress from the start against a Ghana side who also won their Group L opener, beating Panama 1-0 in Toronto thanks to Caleb Yirenkyi’s last-gasp goal.
Rashford complained of muscular discomfort after the Croatia game but looked good in training on Saturday at Swope Soccer Village and appears ready for the Ghana match.
Saka, meanwhile, was the only squad member not involved in Saturday’s session. He was following an individualised programme, three days after Tuchel had admitted he should be able to play a full 90 minutes in the third group game against Panama. It means a start for the Arsenal man against Ghana appears unlikely.
There was some concern about captain Harry Kane and key midfielder Declan Rice after the Croatia game, but both have since allayed fears and are expected to be fit.
Kane had been pictured wearing strapping on his left leg, but that was just for cramp.
Rice asked to come off after feeling pain but Standard Sport understands it was nothing serious and he is set to be involved against Ghana.
Jude Bellingham will be vying with Morgan Rogers again at No10, with Bellingham favourite to be named in the first XI, given his impact and fine goal against Croatia.
In central defence, Tuchel is under pressure from many England fans to drop John Stones in favour of Marc Guehi.
Guehi came off the bench late on at Dallas Stadium after Stones - who struggled - and Ezri Konsa had been named as the starting centre-back partnership.
Rogers, Eberechi Eze and Djed Spence joined all those who did not make an appearance in England’s opening game as they faced MLS side Sporting Kansas City in a behind-closed-doors training match at England’s Swope Soccer Village base on Thursday.
England ran out 5-1 winners in a match played across two lots of 25-minute halves. Ivan Toney scored a hat-trick, with Ollie Watkins and Rogers also on the scoresheet.
Chelsea’s Trevoh Chalobah was present during the training game but did not feature, having flown in as the replacement for Newcastle’s Tino Livramento, who dropped out of the squad with a calf injury. He did, however, train in full on Saturday.
Predicted England XI (4-2-3-1): Pickford; James, Konsa, Guehi, O’Reilly; Anderson, Rice; Madueke, Bellingham, Gordon; Kane
Time and date: 9pm BST on Tuesday June 23, 2026
Venue: Boston Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts
How to watch: BBC
