England star offers surprise injury update after England beat DR Congo

Thomas Tuchel will have to rotate his England squad again for England’s next game against Mexico (Picture: Getty)

Thomas Tuchel

may be able to welcome back one of his injured

England

stars for the upcoming

World Cup

last 16 tie against Mexico.

The Three Lions booked their place in the next round after staging

a late rescue act against DR Congo

last night.

An ignominious exit looked to be on the cards when England trailed to Brian Kibambe Cipenga’s shock early goal with a quarter of an hour left on the clock.

With time running out, it was

Harry Kane who once again stepped up

to the plate and enhanced his hopes of a second World Cup Golden Boot with a superb brace to break the hearts of England’s opponents.

England's hero (Picture:Getty)

England might have flattered to deceive once again, but the inability to pick a settled starting XI on account of a number of fitness concerns has undoubtedly hampered Tuchel.

Bukayo Saka

has been nursed throughout the tournament and started just one of his side’s four matches so far while his

Arsenal

teammate,

Declan Rice

, was rested against Panama and

was seen clutching an ice pack

to his hamstring after he was taken during the closing stages last night.

Reece James

, too, succumbed to a hamstring strain he picked up in the second group stage game against Ghana and hasn’t featured since.

Reece James hasn’t featured since England’s group stage game against Ghana (Picture: Getty)

It had been hoped that the Chelsea stalwart would be back in time to feature in a potential quarter final, but the right-back gave a more upbeat assessment last night.

Asked about his injury by the Athletic’s David Ornstein as he walked through the mixed zone last night, James said: ‘It’s ok; I’m feeling good.’

A potential return earlier than expected for James would certainly represent a welcome boost for Tuchel who has now used five different right-backs in four games.

Djed Spence has struggled to convince in that role and was again barracked by his manager having been seen twice already being on the receiving end of his manager’s ire.

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that

supports HTML5 video

Jarell Quansah started against Panama but failed to stake a convincing claim, while Rice and John Stones both featured in an unfamiliar position during the closing stages against DR Congo.

Where there is Kane, however, there is hope and teammate Anthony Gordon was full of praise for England’s prolific skipper following his latest heroics.

‘You know what? As soon as he hit (the second goal), I knew it was going in,’ Gordon said. ‘I was already celebrating.

‘It’s more the consistency that he surprised me with. Anyone can score a good goal, anyone at this level can put the ball in the top corner.

Djed Spence again struggled at right-back (Picture: Getty)

‘This is the consistency that he does it. Every day in training. Every game. He is phenomenal. He plays at such a high, high level.

‘It’s amazing to be around him every day, because when you’re around someone at the elite level – he’s at the very, very top of football, he’s having a season that’s only ever been beaten by Lionel Messi, the greatest footballer of all time. So that speaks to the level he’s playing at.

‘When you’re around someone like that, you want to pick up as many habits and watch everything he does to see why he’s at that level.

‘It’s no accident, like I said, there’s consistency every day, how hard he works, every finishing drill.

Home

divider

Sport

Football

Related topics

England men's football team

Wayne Rooney says England should have been on the phone to retired star after DR Congo win

Channel: Football

46 minutes ago

By

Tom Olver

Harry Kane fears Mexico will have huge unfair advantage against England

5 hours ago

James Goldman