Declan Rice was back on the pitch with the rest of the England squad Friday, shaking off what looked like a minor scare from earlier in the week. The Arsenal midfielder had missed Thursday’s session with his left calf wrapped in strapping after that tense goalless draw against Ghana, but by Friday he was running drills alongside his teammates—no sign of lingering trouble. Still, the real worry isn’t Rice’s fitness; it’s the yellow card he picked up in that same match, which puts him one booking away from missing a knockout-round game if England advances. That’s a headache manager Thomas Tuchel will have to weigh when he decides whether to start him against Panama on Saturday night.
Reece James, though? That’s a different story. The Chelsea right-back was nowhere to be seen again, stuck inside the training facility in Kansas City working through a hamstring issue that flared up during that same Ghana match. He wasn’t even on the field for individual drills—just watching from the sidelines while Jarell Quansah, Djed Spence, and Ezri Konsa got extra reps in his spot. James has been one of England’s most reliable defenders this tournament, and if this injury lingers, it’s not just the Panama game at risk. Tuchel’s got to be sweating over whether this could sideline him deeper into the competition, especially with the knockout rounds looming and no easy replacements waiting in the wings.
The mood around the England camp wasn’t exactly relaxed, even with Rice back in the fold. Elliot Anderson, the Nottingham Forest midfielder who’s reportedly on the verge of a £116 million move to Manchester City, was another no-show Thursday but turned up Friday—no drama, just a precaution. But the real distraction? Panama’s training session, where things got heated. Cecilio Waterman and José Luis Rodríguez had to be pulled apart after a shoving match that looked like it could’ve escalated if teammates hadn’t stepped in. It’s the kind of tension that bubbles up when teams are fighting for survival, and Panama’s got everything to play for—they’re not just trying to advance, they’re trying to avoid humiliation in front of their home crowd.
England, on the other hand, just need a win to lock down first place in Group L. That’d give Tuchel the luxury of plotting his knockout-round path without the pressure of a must-win scenario right away. But with James still questionable and Rice one card away from suspension, the margin for error is razor-thin. The good news? Panama’s defense has looked shaky at times, and England’s attack—when it clicks—can be devastating. The bad news? They haven’t exactly been clinical in front of goal lately, and Panama’s physicality could rattle a backline missing its most experienced defender. If James can’t go, Tuchel might have to gamble on Quansah, who’s solid but untested at this level, or Spence, who’s more attack-minded but prone to defensive lapses.
All eyes will be on that right-back spot Saturday, but don’t sleep on the midfield either. Rice’s potential suspension means Tuchel might have to shuffle his lineup sooner than he’d like, and Anderson’s looming transfer adds another layer of distraction. For now, though, England’s focus is simple: get the job done, avoid any more injuries, and hope James wakes up Saturday feeling closer to 100%. Because if this hamstring issue drags on, the Three Lions could be staring at a knockout-round nightmare before they even get there—missing two of their most important players when it matters most.
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