England, one of the favorites for the 2022 FIFA World Cup title, began the campaign in emphatic style, thrashing Iran 6-2 in their opening fixture.
However, that game did not come without cost. After the excitement of that victory died down and the likes of Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka were showered with well-earned praise, it was revealed that two key players picked up knocks in that fixture.
The first was the maligned Harry Maguire, who put in yet another solid display in a Three Lions shirt before being subbed off due to an apparent concussion. The other was star man Harry Kane, with the Tottenham striker taking a nasty tackle to the ankle.
The England captain came off for Callum Wilson in the final 15 minutes of the game, with reports later suggesting that the 29-year-old could miss his nation's upcoming game — a highly-anticipated showdown with the USA on Friday.
However, Gareth Southgate has offered positive updates on both men. Starting with his skipper, the Three Lions boss revealed that it was more of a foot issue than an ankle one. The manager later added that Kane will be fine for their second group-stage match but did not confirm whether Harry will start or be rested in favor of Wilson.
"He's good. He's worked a little bit more individually today, but he'll be back in with the team tomorrow and good for the game," Southgate told ITV, as per Sky Sports.
"We just checked him out just to see. I think, sometimes, when you're treating things, it's important to know exactly what is there and that was all good.
"It's not so much the ankle, it's more the foot. It was a poor challenge, really, but I think it's one that, fortunately, we've got away with reasonably lightly."
As for Maguire, Southgate revealed that the Manchester United captain did not actually suffer a concussion but was instead merely unwell, telling the BBC: "He was feeling ill and that was affecting his vision," Southgate told BBC Sport. "You worry about concussion in that instant, but we were going back through all the footage and there is nothing, so he is in a good area."
But that's not all. Kyle Walker, a mainstay for England in their last two major tournaments, did not feature in the opening game, with Gareth reverting to a back-four with Trippier joining Stones, Maguire, and Shaw in defense.
However, the Man City ace has declared himself fit for the USMNT game. The question now is whether Southgate will start him immediately or ease him back from injury.
"Yes [I'm fit]. Does the manager agree? I don't know," the right-back admitted, as per the Evening Standard.
"Listen, I'm fit, I've been training now for two weeks and I feel sharp. Can you replicate what you do on a match day? Of course, I can't. Me and the physio, me, and the fitness coach cannot have an 11 v 11 against each other. We can do as much as we can do before I have to go into training and kick a ball with the lads.
"So I feel good. Obviously the manager has a tough decision to make in picking 11 players from 26.
"I had the operation, it was needed, I probably played three weeks longer than I should have done," Walker added. "The Manchester United game was the final straw when it popped. It was a rupture on my groin, I got four hooks on my groin, and I did three repairs, but it was going fantastically well, I am really happy, everyone seems to be happy with it."
England's upcoming game is a tricky one for Southgate. The manager will have to decide between resting the aforementioned trio and possibly dropping points, which would set them up for a nervy final group-stage showdown with Wales, or playing all three and risking injury setbacks.
The Euro 2020 runners-up have three points under the belt and are two points ahead of their two closest rivals. However, as Japan and Saudi Arabia have shown in the last two days, no team should be underestimated.
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