Quansah Starts at Right-Back as England Face Mexico
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- Jarell Quansah is set to start at right-back for England against Mexico in the World Cup last-16 tie at the Azteca Stadium, starting ahead of Djed Spence, who complained of a muscle niggle on Sunday morning.
- Bukayo Saka and Anthony Gordon are expected to come into the side in place of Noni Madueke and Marcus Rashford, with BBC Sport projecting the XI as Pickford; Quansah, Konsa, Guehi, O'Reilly; Rice, Anderson; Saka, Bellingham, Gordon; Kane.
- Quansah, 23, is available having returned to full training after suffering an ankle injury in the group-stage win over Panama.
- Reece James has missed the past two matches with a hamstring problem late on against Ghana and is yet to train fully, leaving him as the only absentee from Saturday's session in Mexico City pending a late fitness assessment.
- Tino Livramento was forced to leave the squad with a calf issue before the World Cup campaign started, and Tuchel opted to call up Chelsea centre-back Trevoh Chalobah rather than a like-for-like right-back such as Real Madrid's Trent Alexander-Arnold.
- Declan Rice finished the DR Congo match at right-back and is set to be fit to start against Mexico despite carrying hamstring issues, underscoring Tuchel's admitted worry about England's right-back crisis.
- Monday's match kicks off at 01:00 BST, live on BBC One and iPlayer.
Why it matters: England enter a knockout match with three first-choice right-backs unavailable (James injured, Livramento withdrawn before the tournament, Spence carrying a muscle niggle), forcing Tuchel to start a centre-back at the position and reshuffle his attack — a gamble that materially weakens England's defensive structure against a Mexico side unbeaten in four clean sheets.
