England will assess the fitness of Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice and Chelsea defender Reece James before their final World Cup group stage match against Panama. The assessments will take place prior to Saturday’s fixture in New Jersey.
Rice was seen limping after England’s goalless draw against Ghana on Tuesday, with heavy strapping on his left calf. Despite this, sources suggest there is no significant concern that the issue will impact his long-term involvement in the United States. However, the injury requires assessment and rest before a decision can be made regarding the 27-year-old’s availability for the upcoming match. England’s manager and staff will need to consider the risks of playing him.
This is not the first time Rice has experienced discomfort, as he was also substituted in the game against Croatia due to nerve pain in a sore hamstring he has been managing. He has reportedly been playing through “neural pain” in his hamstring since Christmas. Rice has played a total of 63 matches across the 2025/26 season, which is the most of any player in the England squad.
Jamie Carragher, a pundit, believes that Rice’s importance to the team means he cannot be rested. He noted that Rice’s substitution against Croatia was likely a precaution for discomfort in his lower back and upper hamstring, an issue he has been carrying for much of the season without it significantly affecting his performance for Arsenal.
James will also undergo assessment as England prepares for Saturday’s game. The 26-year-old completed the entire match against Ghana but will be checked by medical staff in the coming hours. The Chelsea captain has a history of injuries, and his workload will be closely monitored.
Squad Fitness Concerns
Beyond Rice and James, other players have also faced fitness challenges. Bukayo Saka, Rice’s Arsenal teammate, entered the tournament with an Achilles problem. He was confined to the bench against Croatia and Ghana, though he did come on in both matches.
Carragher suggested that Saka’s situation might be more serious than Rice’s, given that he did not start the first game and missed a significant amount of football last season. He advised against risking Saka, to avoid losing him for the tournament. However, Carragher also acknowledged that the longer Saka remains on the bench, the more difficult it could be for him to displace Noni Madueke, who started on the right-hand side in the opener.
Another area of discussion has been the central defence. John Stones partnered Ezri Konsa against Croatia, despite Stones having played fewer than 440 Premier League minutes last season, while Marc Guehi was on the bench. Stones appeared to be off the pace, particularly for Croatia’s opening goal.
Carragher expressed surprise that Guehi did not start and suggested that Guehi would be his first choice in the back four. He also voiced concerns about Stones’ match fitness, given his limited playing time over the past few years. Despite this, Carragher would give Stones another opportunity to play, hoping he can regain full match fitness by the knockout stages.
Group Stage Progress
England currently leads their group with four points after two matches. Ghana also has four points. Croatia, after overcoming Panama 1-0 on Tuesday, has three points. Panama remains on zero points, having lost both of their games 1-0.
After the goalless draw with Ghana, the England manager stated that the team does not need a wake-up call, assuring that everyone is alert and fully committed. He dismissed any notion of overconfidence, suggesting that if anything, there might have been moments of over-cautiousness. The manager emphasised the importance of not letting the highs get too high or the lows get too low, describing the draw as a difficult match rather than a low point. England will aim to win their final group match against Panama on Saturday.
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Source: bbc.co.uk
Dominic Hayes is the Sports News Writer at NewsGB, covering rugby union, golf and boxing with five years of reporting experience. He started on a north-east sports desk. He holds a degree in Journalism from Teesside University and completed an NCTJ diploma. Based in Middlesbrough, he follows pro golf and amateur boxing. “Fast and accurate is the only standard worth keeping.”
