England Receive Timely Injury Boost After Receiving Warning From Norway Boss

All eyes will be on Hard Rock Stadium to watch Erling Haaland and Harry Kane fight for supremacy.

Declan Rice (facing the camera) has been unwell in the buildup to the game. | Bradley Collyer/PA Images/Getty Images

England’s injury worries appeared to ease on Friday ahead of its crucial World Cup quarterfinal clash with Norway.

Declan Rice, Marc Guéhi and Reece James all took part in training, having endured disrupted preparation because of illness and injury. Rice had previously been unwell for a few days, while Guéhi aggrivated a tight hamstring in the scintilating 3-2 win over Mexico at the Estadio Azteca. James hasn’t been seen since England’s group stage win over Ghana.

Thomas Tuchel admitted it was “the best news” to have all three back and sampling the Miami heat ahead of what should be a sweltering occasion at Hard Rock Stadium.

The noise outside of injury concerns has focused, from an England perspective at least, on how to stop Erling Haaland. For Norway, it’s been a similar story, with Harry Kane the one to capture the attention after a blistering 12 months of goalscoring for club and country.

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Norway vs. England Not Just Haaland vs. Kane

Ståle Solbakken has stressed Norway can offer more than just an Erling Haaland goal threat. | IMAGO/NTB

Norway manager Ståle Solbakken admitted the two are big players for their respective teams, but suggested it’s wrong to focus solely on their capabilities.

“It’s not a secret that Kane is match-winner number one for England and Erling is match-winner number one for us,” he told BBC Sport. “There's no doubt that he [Haaland] is our biggest match-winner, but I think you underestimate some of the other players if you think that’s the whole theme.

“He also needs service, but you can't deny that he is a big, big match-winner for us.”

That service could come from Arsenal midfielder Martin Ødegaard, who will go up against Jude Bellingham in the battle of the No. 10s, and wingers Antonio Nusa and Andreas Schjelderup—though only one of them is likely to start as both are most effective playing on the left. Alexander Sørloth is another threat with his physicality, adding a very different dynamic to Norway’s attack.

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England the Ones Under Pressure

England handled the occasion at the Azteca—can it do it again? | Eddie Keogh/The FA/Getty Images

England’s chances expect to be fashioned not only by Bellingham but also by wingers Bukayo Saka and Anthony Gordon. The former has had a relatively quiet World Cup so far, with Tuchel managing his minutes postinjury and rotating with Noni Madueke, while Gordon burst into life against DR Congo in England’s final group stage game before impressing once more against Mexico.

In Solbakken’s opinion, it’s the Three Lions who are the “favorites” that will feel the weight of the occasion more than Norway—even though his country were the ones to see off Brazil in the round of 16.

"I think England have more pressure than us,” Solbakken said at his news conference. “But we also put pressure on our performance. Once the game starts I don't think the players think about the pressure."

The winner of the game in Miami will come up against Argentina or Switzerland in the second semifinal of the World Cup, to be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The other last four clash has already been confirmed, with 2018 winners France meeting 2010 champions Spain in a heavyweight encounter.

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