England take on Ghana in their second World Cup group game, but Arsenal star Bukayo Saka is expected to once again miss out on a starting spot
Bukayo Saka is a major fitness concern for England after missing training.
The Arsenal star has been managing an Achilles issue in the past few months and has not been fit enough to start for Thomas Tuchel’s side at the World Cup.
Saka admitted himself that he is ready to “gamble” on his fitness to play but is not training normally with the rest of the group at their base in Kansas City.
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And the Gunners winger did his own fitness programme and is expected to be available to face Ghana in Boston on Tuesday but it seems likely that he may not start.
Saka and Marcus Rashford – who trained despite finishing the Croatia game with a sore hamstring – both came on as substitutes to good effect and may get the same job again.
Tuchel insisted the “finishers” were just as important as the starting XI to win games. The rest of the England squad – plus training keeper Jason Steele – trained as normal on Saturday as they build up to the second Group match with Ghana.
Tuchel did make it clear in the wake of the Croatia game that Saka is having to build up to start games and may only start the final group match with Panama.
The Three Lions boss said: “Bukayo is ready and will get more and more ready. I think once we go to the last game of this group he will be ready.
“He was strong in training in small spaces. It was just a matter of if the game was open and he was up and down.”
While Tuchel has an almost clean bill of health for the game against Ghana, he might have some decisions to make.
Chris Sutton has urged the German to hand Rashford a place in the starting line up after his goal.
He said: “It’s going to be a squad game at the World Cup. We could even have a debate about the other flank, where Noni Madueke started, with Tuchel managing Bukayo Saka’s minutes.
“On the left, though, I’d go for Rashford. I think Gordon’s form suffered towards the end of the season. He didn’t play much for Newcastle and he just doesn’t seem quite up to speed.
“This is not to say he won’t have a big part to play as the tournament goes on, but Rashford took his goal well and looked good. It’s close, but at the moment I’d go for Rashford. I think he deserves an opportunity.”
