England team news for Panama game ‘leaked’ with Kobbie Mainoo likely to start
Kobbie Mainoo and Marcus Rashford are likely to start for England in their last World Cup group game against Panama, according to a leaked team list.
Before Saturday’s match at MetLife Stadium in New York, coach Thomas Tuchel has had some tough decisions to make.
Reece James, who had a mostly smooth season with Chelsea before the World Cup, won’t play against Panama because of a minor hamstring injury he picked up in the 0-0 draw with Ghana.
Tuchel said about James’ injury, “He hasn’t been able to train for the last two days. He’s now on a fast-track rehab plan, and we’ll see how he does game by game.”
There’s hope James might be back after the Panama game, but for now, Tuchel needs to find another option.
Sky Sports reporter Gianluca Di Marzio says Djed Spence will take James’ spot at right-back. Nico O’Reilly, Ezri Konsa, and Marc Guehi will complete the defense.
Jordan Pickford will be in goal for the Three Lions, and Tuchel is expected to stick with his 4-2-3-1 formation.
The coaching team is also keeping an eye on Declan Rice, who’s been feeling some nerve pain in his hamstring since Christmas. Rice will likely rest against Panama, with Kobbie Mainoo getting his first World Cup start alongside Elliot Anderson.
Up front, Noni Madueke, Jude Bellingham, and Marcus Rashford are expected to support Harry Kane.
Panama is expected to line up in a 5-4-1 formation. Orlando Mosquera will be goalkeeper, with Amir Murillo, Jiovany Ramos, Jose Cordoba, Cesar Blackman, and Andres Andrade defending.
Their midfielders—Cristian Martinez, Carlos Harvey, Yoel Barcenas, and Jose Luis Rodriguez—will try to stop England’s attack, while Jose Fajardo will lead Panama’s offense.
Here’s how both teams are likely to line up:
Panama (5-4-1): Mosquera; Murillo, Cordoba, Ramos, Andrade, Blackman; Martinez, Barcenas, Harvey, Rodriguez; Fajardo.
England (4-2-3-1): Pickford; Spence, Guehi, Konsa, O’Reilly; Mainoo, Anderson; Madueke, Bellingham, Rashford; Kane.