England’s Rice, Guehi, and James train ahead of World Cup quarter-final with Norway
Declan Rice, Marc Guehi, and Reece James participated in training sessions on Friday, providing England with a significant boost ahead of their World Cup quarter-final match against Norway. The team is preparing for the crucial encounter scheduled for Saturday in Miami.
Rice had been experiencing illness following Monday’s last-16 victory in Mexico, which led to him being kept separate from his teammates. Meanwhile, Guehi had missed England‘s training session in Kansas City on Thursday due to concerns about a hamstring issue. Both players, however, were able to join the training in Miami on Friday, making them available for selection.
James also took part in the session, marking his first team training appearance in nearly three weeks. His return from a hamstring problem is being carefully managed, and while he trained, it is considered unlikely that he will start in this weekend’s match. His presence in training, nonetheless, offers a welcome option for the squad.
Squad Updates and Absences
The only player from the 26-man squad to miss the training session was Jordan Henderson. He sustained a broken wrist and arm during the celebrations after the win against Mexico and has since undergone surgery. Additionally, Jarell Quansah will be unavailable for the match against Norway, as he is serving a two-game ban following a red card in the previous fixture.
Guehi, a defender for Manchester City, had reported a minor hamstring injury after England‘s 3-2 win over Mexico at the Azteca Stadium. Despite this, he trained at Fort Lauderdale under the observation of former England captain David Beckham. Beckham also visited the England squad, who were utilizing the training facilities of Inter Miami, the club he owns.
Rice‘s return to training, after battling a sickness bug, is also a positive development for head coach Thomas Tuchel as he aims to secure a semi-final berth. Reports indicated that Rice had been dealing with a neural issue affecting his hamstring and lower back, which was made worse by his recent illness. Steps have been taken by the England camp to prevent the spread of the bug among the team.
The return of James is particularly significant given the challenges England has faced in the right-back position due to injuries and suspensions. Prior to the tournament, Newcastle‘s Tino Livramento suffered a calf injury and was replaced in the squad by Chelsea central defender Trevoh Chalobah. While Chalobah can play at full-back, it is not his natural position. Had James been deemed unfit, Djed Spence might have been the only natural right-back available for England.
Team Confidence and Opposition Analysis
Central defender Ezri Konsa, who can also cover at right-back, shared his experience of being asked to play in that position during the victory over Mexico after Quansah‘s dismissal. He described the mental and physical demands of adapting to the role, especially with the heat and playing with one less man. Konsa highlighted the encouragement he received from teammate John Stones during that challenging period.
Konsa recounted that Stones “kept pushing me” and even offered to swap positions. However, Konsa declined, stating, “No, don’t worry, it’s fine.” He expressed pride in the team’s achievement that night and reiterated his willingness to play wherever the manager needs him, as long as he is contributing to the team.
Pundit Jamie Carragher has predicted a narrow 2-1 victory for England against Norway but cautioned Thomas Tuchel‘s side against underestimating their opponents. Carragher noted that Norway presents a tougher challenge than many might expect, citing their performance against Brazil where they dominated possession in the second half and deserved to win. He acknowledged that Norway possesses strong players beyond just striker Erling Haaland, who he believes will be remembered as “the greatest goalscorer of all time.” The quarter-final match is set to kick off at 22:00 BST.
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Source: skysports.com
