{"id":49944,"date":"2026-07-10T05:42:15","date_gmt":"2026-07-10T09:42:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/07\/10\/last-minute-england-defender-given-50-50-chance-of-reaching-norway-quarter-finals\/"},"modified":"2026-07-10T05:42:15","modified_gmt":"2026-07-10T09:42:15","slug":"last-minute-england-defender-given-50-50-chance-of-reaching-norway-quarter-finals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/07\/10\/last-minute-england-defender-given-50-50-chance-of-reaching-norway-quarter-finals\/","title":{"rendered":"Last Minute: England defender given 50-50 chance of reaching Norway quarter-finals"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_74 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/07\/10\/last-minute-england-defender-given-50-50-chance-of-reaching-norway-quarter-finals\/#England_may_be_forced_to_make_defensive_changes\" >England may be forced to make defensive changes<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2026\/07\/10\/last-minute-england-defender-given-50-50-chance-of-reaching-norway-quarter-finals\/#Tuchel_needs_to_balance_risk_against_Haalands_threat\" >Tuchel needs to balance risk against Haaland&#8217;s threat<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"article-body\">\n<!-- Article Start --><\/p>\n<p><strong>England are suffering a late selection headache ahead of their World Cup quarter-final against Norway, with key members of Thomas Tuchel&#8217;s defense facing a race against time to recover.<br \/><\/strong><br \/>The injury is not believed to be serious, but the short time between matches in the finals leaves little room for caution.<\/p>\n<div id=\"message-list_1779082922.637049\" aria-setsize=\"-1\" aria-labelledby=\"primary-DPALHTQM9-1779082922.637049-sender primary-DPALHTQM9-1779082922.637049-message_text primary-DPALHTQM9-1779082922.637049-alt_text primary-DPALHTQM9-1779082922.637049-date_time primary-DPALHTQM9-1779082922.637049-reaction_count primary-DPALHTQM9-1779082922.637049-reply_count primary-DPALHTQM9-1779082922.637049-link_count primary-DPALHTQM9-1779082922.637049-attachment_count primary-DPALHTQM9-1779082922.637049-has_draft_reply primary-DPALHTQM9-1779082922.637049-pinned_state primary-DPALHTQM9-1779082922.637049-edited_state primary-DPALHTQM9-1779082922.637049-later_state primary-DPALHTQM9-1779082922.637049-broadcast_state primary-DPALHTQM9-1779082922.637049-broadcast_thread_root_message primary-DPALHTQM9-1779082922.637049-translated_state\" style=\"clear:left;\">\n<div>\n<div aria-roledescription=\"message\">\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div><b>Download the official CaughtOffSide app to get all the latest news and updates straight to your phone. above <\/b><b><u><span draggable=\"true\">apple<\/span><\/u><\/b><b>    &#038; <\/b><b><u><span draggable=\"true\">Google play<\/span><\/u><\/b><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The timing is particularly tricky as England prepare to take on Erling Haaland&#8217;s Norwegian attack.<\/p>\n<p>Even a minor physical issue could affect the final line-up, as Tuchel wants a defender who is fully fit and able to adapt to Norway&#8217;s pace, strength and direct style.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"England_may_be_forced_to_make_defensive_changes\"><\/span>England may be forced to make defensive changes<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Sky Sports News&#8217; Rob Dorsett says Mark Gehi, who has suffered a hamstring problem, is rated 50-50 for Saturday&#8217;s quarter-final.<\/p>\n<p>The injury itself is not believed to be serious, but England&#8217;s medical staff are concerned about whether the player will recover quickly enough.<\/p>\n<p>Dan Byrne claims he could start if Guehi is unavailable.<\/p>\n<p>Guehi had already entered the individual program earlier this week. According to Reuters, the England international trained separately with Declan Rice and Reece James on Wednesday to address some fitness concerns before leaving for Miami.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tuchel_needs_to_balance_risk_against_Haalands_threat\"><\/span>Tuchel needs to balance risk against Haaland&#8217;s threat<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>England should only start Guehi if he is completely comfortable. Hamstring issues can worsen quickly and it would be a big gamble to play a halfway fit defender against Haaland.<\/p>\n<p>Byrne&#8217;s height, fitness and Premier League experience would make him a sensible replacement.<\/p>\n<p>However, changing the established defensive partnership right before such an important match is far from ideal.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, Tuchel will have to look beyond Guehi&#8217;s reputation and make the safest decision.<\/p>\n<p>England need the strongest team possible and cannot afford to get injured early and effectively play the quarter-finals with 10 men.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Keir Starmer hints at exciting plans if England win the 2026 World Cup <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><!-- Article End -->\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>England are suffering a late selection headache ahead of their World Cup quarter-final against Norway, with key members of Thomas Tuchel&#8217;s defense facing a race against time to recover.The injury is not believed to be serious, but the short time between matches in the finals leaves little room for caution. Download the official CaughtOffSide app [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":49945,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[40],"class_list":["post-49944","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-football","tag-football"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49944","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=49944"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49944\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/49945"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=49944"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=49944"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=49944"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}