Double injury scare for England as Reece James & Declan Rice miss training ahead of final World Cup group game vs Panama

The Chelsea captain is the primary concern for the England medical staff after he failed to report for training on Thursday. The 26-year-old right-back suffered a hamstring issue during the cagey goalless draw with Ghana on Tuesday and is now being closely monitored. Given his significant history of muscular layoffs, the coaching staff are highly reluctant to take unnecessary risks with the defender's fitness.

The timing of the injury is particularly frustrating for Tuchel, who has limited options on the right side of his defense. England had already lost Tino Livramento to a tournament-ending calf injury before the competition even began, meaning a long-term absence for James would leave the squad dangerously thin in that department as the knockout stages approach.

Rice was also absent from the session at England’s training base, having left the previous match with heavy strapping on his left calf. However, the Arsenal midfielder's situation appears to be less of a concern, according to BBC. Rice recently revealed that he has been dealing with neural pain in his hamstring since the festive period, a condition he has been managing behind the scenes for several months.

The 27-year-old has been vocal about the "obscene amount of games" in the modern football calendar after a grueling season that saw him feature 55 times for his club. While Rice told staff he was "all good" after the Ghana stalemate, his absence from training suggests England are taking every precaution to ensure their midfield general is available for the business end of the tournament.

With a place in the round of 32 virtually certain, Tuchel may use the Panama game to shuffle his deck, though he has warned against making too many changes at once. The German said: "I am not shy to do some rotation now. Some players should be on the pitch but maybe it will be more moderate. It’s not always fair if you just rotate your players in and say: 'OK, let’s perform.' We'll see."

If James and Rice are deemed unfit to start, Tuchel has several contingency plans in place. Ezri Konsa could be asked to shift to right-back, while Manchester City youngster Nico O’Reilly and United's Kobbie Mainoo are waiting in the wings. There is also a temptation to shuffle the pack to protect Rice from a potential suspension, as he is currently one yellow card away from a one-match ban.

Despite the injury concerns, England remain in the clear to top Group L if they can overcome Panama. Tuchel has defended his side's performance against Ghana, emphasising the need for stability. "There is a long way to go and no one has won a World Cup with four goals per match and going for it," the manager insisted. "Our responsibility is to bring everything to the table."

The Three Lions currently lead their group by a single goal over the Black Stars, and a victory at New Jersey would guarantee them a theoretically easier path in the first knockout round. With Bukayo Saka also being eased back into full fitness following his own Achilles issues, the medical department's work in Kansas City could ultimately define England's World Cup ambitions.