England defender Marc Guehi is a major doubt for Saturday’s FIFA World Cup quarter-final against Norway after sustaining a minor hamstring strain during the Three Lions’ dramatic 3-2 victory over Mexico.
The Manchester City centre-back will undergo a fitness assessment on Friday after initial fears of muscle fatigue were upgraded to a hamstring strain.
Although Guehi remains hopeful of being fit in time, his chances of featuring against Norway appear uncertain, particularly if he is unable to train with the squad ahead of the last-eight encounter.
England manager Thomas Tuchel faces a defensive headache, with Norway striker Erling Haaland in prolific form after scoring seven goals at the tournament. The German coach is unlikely to take any risks with Guehi’s fitness given the magnitude of the challenge.
There was, however, a welcome boost for England as right-back Reece James returned to full training on Thursday for the first time since suffering a hamstring injury against Ghana. The Chelsea defender is expected to be available for selection.
Midfielder Declan Rice, meanwhile, remains a concern after missing training for a second consecutive day due to a sickness bug, which has aggravated a neural issue affecting his hamstring and lower back.
James’ return comes at an opportune time following Jarrell Quansah’s two-match suspension after his red card against Mexico. With Tino Livramento also sidelined through injury, Djed Spence had been the only recognised right-back available, making James’ recovery a significant boost for Tuchel.
Should Guehi fail to recover in time, England still have experienced defensive options in John Stones, Dan Burn and Trevoh Chalobah to partner at the heart of the defence.
England face Norway in the World Cup quarter-finals in Miami on Saturday, with kick-off scheduled for 22:00 BST.
