Kieran Trippier is a doubt for England’s Euro 2024 clash against Slovakia on Sunday.
The Newcastle defender, who has started all of England’s matches at left-back, has been nursing a calf injury since the back end of the domestic season.
The FA has confirmed Trippier’s workload is being managed, sparking concerns over his fitness for the Slovakia clash.
After training away from the main group on Friday, Trippier returned to full training on Saturday and has not yet been ruled out the last-16 tie, live on talkSPORT, at 5pm tomorrow.
However, he was seen clutching his leg and faces a late fitness test on Sunday morning.
It is understood manager Gareth Southgate has lined up Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa to deputise if Trippier is unavailable.
The 26-year-old is expected to get the nod over Luke Shaw, who is still recovering from injury, and Joe Gomez.
Konsa is a centre-back by trade, having helped Aston Villa to a fourth-placed finish in the Premier League, and thus Champions League football for next season.
He does have experience as a full-back, but further issues at left-back is something Southgate needs like a hole in the head.
The England boss admitted selecting Shaw, who hasn’t placed since Manchester United’s 2-1 win over Luton on February 18, was a ‘gamble’ having left behind Chelsea’s Ben Chilwell and Crystal Palace left-back Tyrick Mitchell.
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The gamble has not paid off with Shaw yet to play a minute of football in Germany and only making the matchday squad for one of England’s three games so far, their 1-0 win over Serbia in what was their opening match of the tournament.
Shaw hinted that he would be available for the next game when speaking to journalists after the Three Lions drew to Slovenia on Tuesday night.
But this latest news suggests Southgate will have to think outside the box on who to play in what’s been a problem area for England at Euro 2024.
Elsewhere, Kobbie Mainoo could be handed his first senior start for England on Sunday having impressed after coming on in the second half against Slovenia.
Other than that, Southgate is understood to be likely to name the same team that couldn’t break down the 45th-ranked side in the world in Cologne.
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