Saka out of England lineup as Ghana get a World Cup break

Rice should be fine, Saka likely out

Two key England players are managing issues ahead of your World Cup opener. Declan Rice is expected to be fit despite back pain (1). Bukayo Saka will be nursed through training and is unlikely to start against Ghana, Thomas Tuchel confirmed (2). The plan is to have Saka ready for England's final group game against Panama (2). Rice's availability means England's midfield stays intact, but losing Saka from the starting eleven is a break, his pace from the right would have tested your backline.

The bigger picture: Panama first

England is game two. Game one is Panama in Toronto on Saturday, and that is the match Ghana have targeted as a must-win in a group that also includes Croatia. The off-field saga around Thomas Partey, denied a Canadian visa, with the Ghanaian government fighting the decision in court, has dominated the buildup. The squad celebrated his birthday anyway. On the pitch, the focus has to shift quickly: Panama, then a wounded England side that might be missing its most dangerous wide player.