Declan Rice’s return for England’s last-32 clash against the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on Wednesday offers a much-needed boost. However, Jarell Quansah’s absence due to an ankle injury is poised to complicate Thomas Tuchel’s right-back options.
Tuchel’s plans were further affected by Tino Livramento’s departure from the camp with a calf injury this month. Additionally, Reece James, who played in England’s first two matches in Group L, tweaked a hamstring last week and is now unable to face the DRC. His participation in a potential last-16 match against either Mexico or Ecuador in Mexico City the following Sunday is also in doubt.
After James was sidelined, Tuchel substituted him with Quansah in the match against Panama. Unfortunately, Quansah’s World Cup debut was cut short after he twisted his ankle in the second half. The 23-year-old was replaced by Djed Spence and his availability for the DRC match remains uncertain. While Tuchel expressed hope for Quansah’s recovery, insiders suggest that the last-32 match may come too soon.
With both Quansah and James likely unavailable, Spence is expected to start. The Tottenham defender, valued for his versatility, has featured in all three games as England topped their group with seven points. Alternatively, Tuchel could shift Ezri Konsa to right-back and pair John Stones with Marc Guéhi in central defense.
Stones, who played only five times for Manchester City in the latter half of last season, has not donned the England jersey since their 4-2 victory over Croatia in their opening match.
“Yeah, for sure. Why not? He was even in consideration to start [against Panama] but then it would have been the third change in the central defence in the third match, and I thought I’d stick with the pair because I saw them good against Ghana – and I saw them good against Panama.”
Tuchel remarked when asked about Stones’ readiness for the DRC game.
Tuchel is confident that Jude Bellingham has fully embraced his coaching philosophy and can continue to be a game-changer at the World Cup. Bellingham played a pivotal role in the 2-0 win over Panama, scoring the opening goal—his second of the tournament—and assisting Harry Kane. The Real Madrid midfielder, now with 51 caps, did not start in various qualifying matches, and Tuchel previously cautioned that Bellingham would need to fight for his place.
In the match against Panama, Bellingham adopted a slightly deeper role while Morgan Rogers started alongside his childhood friend for the third time under Tuchel. The England head coach noted that he was not surprised by the 22-year-old’s ability to rise to the occasion.
“I’m not sure if it’s a reaction but it is what we want from him,”
England has returned to their base in Kansas City to prepare for their encounter with the DRC. Marcus Rashford is expected to keep his spot in the attack after a commendable performance on the left flank. Tuchel refrained from disclosing whether he has finalized his best team, emphasizing the importance of adaptability for England.
“He was very positive from the first day in camp. He buys fully into all the things we demand as a team player, and then he brings his own individual quality to decide football games. That’s what you see in World Cups now, and what you see from other teams and other big players. We have it in him and he’s a key player … So well done until now. He needs to keep going.”
He added, “And from there I build and I see the energy on the training pitch and I see what the output is from match to match. Then we see what the opponent brings and how we need to react. But I see good performances and detail out there against very physical opponents, and I think we will find solutions when they are needed. “With a new stage of the tournament, it starts new again. It’s knockout football. It brings its very own tension, its very own dynamics. We’ll prepare for that and be ready for it.”
