Declan Rice and Reece James to be assessed as England dealt new double injury worry before World Cup clash | OneFootball

England face Panama in their final Group L game this weekend

Reece James and Declan Rice will have their fitness assessed before England’s final group game against Panama.

Chelsea defender James has played the full 90 minutes in both of England’s first two World Cup matches.

He started at right-back against Croatia but moved to midfield after Thomas Tuchel’s second-half substitutions.

James has a history of injury and is one of a small number of players Chelsea medical staff take extra care with.

The former Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca said earlier this season that James’s body does not allow him to play three games in a week.

James will be assessed by FA staff ahead of Saturday’s game against Panama in New Jersey as they monitor his load.

Arsenal midfielder Rice will also be assessed.

He left Boston Stadium after the Ghana game appearing to limp and had strapping round his calf on his left leg.

Assessments: Reece James and Declan Rice

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Rice said before the game that he has been dealing with “neural pain” since Christmas but that he was feeling physically “very good”.

He was brought off midway through the second half of the 4-2 win over Croatia after feeling some pain.

The 26-year-old, like James, stayed on the pitch for the full match against Ghana.

Tuchel has said he had not made his mind up on quite how much he would rotate the team against Panama if England had beaten Ghana.

But after the match, which England drew to deny them sealing top spot in Group L with a game to go, he said he was “still not shy” about rotating but the reality of needing to beat Panama might mean the rotating is “more moderated”.