James Maddison has missed a second consecutive England training session on Friday, as the Three Lions look ahead to their World Cup 2022 opener.
The 25-year-old was not present at Thursday’s training session after suffering an injury scare in Leicester’s penultimate pre-World Cup clash against West Ham United.
Maddison walked off with his leg in that 2-0 win, but he brushed aside any fears of a major injury before rejoining the squad at St George’s Park.
The midfielder missed practise on Thursday due to load management, but he was seen walking onto the field with his teammates on Friday morning.
However, Maddison then headed down the tunnel to resume his individual treatment, creating fresh concerns over his readiness for Monday’s match.
Nevertheless, the Evening Standard reports that England remains confident about Maddison’s chances of recovering in time for England’s World Cup opener.
While Leicester’s player was absent on Friday, Gareth Southgate had the rest of his 26-man team on the training ground, including Kyle Walker and Kalvin Phillips.
Both Manchester City players have been working hard to recover from groin and shoulder surgeries, with Phillips featuring in Man City’s last pre-World Cup game against Brentford.
See Also: Sadio Mane Out Of World Cup 2022 Due To Leg Injury
However, Walker has admitted that he is unlikely to play in the first game and will focus on making a comeback when England takes on the USA in their second game the next Friday.
With Walker away, Kieran Trippier, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Ben White will compete for a starting spot on England’s right flank against Team Melli.
The World Cup will begin on Sunday afternoon, prior to England’s first game, with hosts Qatar taking on Ecuador in Group A at the Al Bayt Stadium.
COMMENTS