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On Saturday night, the eyes of a nation, and the entire world really, will be on Miami as England take on Norway in the World Cup quarter-finals. In the week building up to the game, there has been plenty of talk about who would be available for Thomas Tuchel. Arsenal's Declan Rice was one of a few players to miss training during the week, doing so due to illness.
However, there was not much discussion about Bukayo Saka, making his absence from the starting lineup when the team sheets dropped something of a surprise.
England confirmed starting lineup vs Norway
- Jordan Pickford.
- Ezri Konsa, John Stones, Marc Guéhi & Nico O'Reilly,
- Elliot Anderson & Declan Rice.
- Noni Madueke, Jude Bellingham & Anthony Gordon.
- Harry Kane.
With Jarell Quansah suspended, following his red card at the Azteca, and Reece James not yet fit enough to start, Ezri Konsa has shifted across to right-back. The rest of the back four are Manchester City-based, with John Stones coming in to start for the first time since the tournament opener against Croatia. The name Nico O'Reilly is enough to send a shudder down the spine of any Arsenal fan, following March's EFL Cup Final at Wembley. Let's not think about that!
In midfield, despite nursing neural pain in his hamstring, and an illness of some kind, Declan Rice once again starts, because of course he does. However, the identity of the right-winger is a surprise. We knew it was going to be somebody of interest to Arsenal fans, with two of Mikel Arteta's Premier League champions fighting it out for that spot.
Noni Madueke has started against Croatia, Ghana and DR Congo so far, with Bukayo Saka included in the lineups against Panama and Mexico. He set up Jude Bellingham's opener in Mexico City, his third assist of the tournament so far. Thus, Saka is only the third Arsenal player to rack up 3+ assists at a single World Cup, after Dennis Berkgamp in '98 and Martin Ødegaard, also this summer, who he will come up against in South Florida on Saturday night.
When Madueke has started and Saka come on, or vice versa, the difference is clear to see. So, why would Tuchel select the former in such a crucial match? Well, it could be fitness related. Saka came into the tournament nursing an Achilles tendinitis issue, hence why his minutes need to be carefully managed, with the Germany coach potentially being sensible, after he completed 90+ in Mexico.
Meantime, it could perhaps be a tactical decision. With Konsa a more defensive right-back, Tuchel may be asking Madueke to hold the width, running at Norwegian left-back David Møller Wolfe one on one. Either-way, regardless of game state, fitness permitting, we're likely to see Saka at some stage.
Victory for England would set up a semi-final showdown with Argentina or Switzerland at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Wednesday. The presence of a third-place play-off means, if England do get past Norway, Arteta's quartet of England players would be guaranteed to go to the very end of this tournament. This isn't ideal given that the World Cup Final is just 33 days before the Gunners begin their Premier League title defence against Coventry City.
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