Thomas Tuchel has expressed significant concern regarding England's right-back situation ahead of their World Cup knockout match against Atlanta on Wednesday at 17:00 BST. Jarell Quansah, who started in place of the injured Reece James, suffered an injury during England's 2-0 victory over Panama, which secured their top spot in Group L.
Quansah limped off in the second half and went straight down the tunnel for treatment, raising further doubts about England's defensive lineup. His injury adds to the uncertainty surrounding the right-back position, as Reece James is also a major doubt due to a hamstring issue.
The situation is compounded by Tino Livramento's departure from the squad due to a calf injury, leaving Tuchel with limited options.
Currently, Tuchel's choices for the right-back position appear to be Djed Spence and Ezri Konsa, who has played all three of England's matches at centre-back. The coach had previously opted to call up centre-back Trevoh Chalobah instead of including a replacement right-back like Trent Alexander-Arnold when Livramento was ruled out.
After the match against Panama, Tuchel noted that it was too early to assess the severity of Quansah's injury. However, with the knockout match just four days away, the Bayer Leverkusen defender's availability remains uncertain. “A classic ankle twist and he is in pain,” Tuchel said of Quansah's condition.
“He said he had it before and it is a matter of days. He has his leg up high and in ice.”
Tuchel acknowledged the gravity of the situation, stating, “Naturally, of course, I am worried about the right-back situation; we have another injury in the position.” He emphasized the need for the team to find solutions as they prepare for the critical knockout stage.
