Big boost for England as key player to start despite fitness concerns as expected line up named | OneFootball

England manager Thomas Tuchel has been boosted by the news that he’ll be able to start Marc Guehi in defence for tonight’s World Cup quarter-final clash against Norway.

Guehi had been an injury doubt for this game, but he’s now expected to be in the starting XI this evening, though Reece James is still not available from the start.

This means Ezri Konsa is moving to right-back, with Jarrell Quansah playing there against Mexico before being sent off and thereby missing tonight’s game through suspension.

With Konsa shifting from centre-back to right-back, that means John Stones is set to come in to partner Guehi in central defence, according to BBC Sport, who named the expected England line up as this one below…

Pickford, Konsa, Guehi, Stones, O’Reilly, Anderson, Rice, Madueke, Gordon, Bellingham, Kane

England face difficult Norway challenge

England did well to knock out co-hosts Mexico in a tough game, and they’ll need to be at their very best again tonight against an underrated Norway side.

Everyone knows all about their star striker Erling Haaland, but there’s also Martin Odegaard, Antonio Nusa, and other top players in the Norwegian team, so they’ll fancy their chances after an impressive result of their own in the last round, when they knocked out five-time winners Brazil.

England fans will no doubt be delighted that Guehi is available to play as he’ll surely be crucial to keeping Haaland quiet, while Stones is also someone who knows him well from their time together at Manchester City.

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There are perhaps one or two other concerns, though, with uncertainty over Declan Rice’s condition as there had been reports of him feeling ill.

Meanwhile, Bukayo Saka has again failed to make the starting XI amid ongoing fitness concerns throughout this World Cup.