England manager Thomas Tuchel expects Reece James to be available for Saturday's World Cup quarter-final against Norway in Miami (22:00 BST). The Chelsea captain has been sidelined since suffering a hamstring injury in the second group match against Ghana, missing victories over Panama, DR Congo and Mexico.

Jarell Quansah's 54th-minute red card in Sunday's 3-2 win over Mexico intensified the crisis, ruling the Bayer Leverkusen defender out of the knockout tie. In his absence, Ezri Konsa — who started all five matches at centre-back — finished the game as a right wing-back. Over the tournament, six different players have occupied right-sided defensive roles: James, Djed Spence, Konsa, John Stones, Quansah and Declan Rice.

Pre-tournament, Tino Livramento's calf injury had already thinned options. Konsa and Spence remain viable alternatives, but James is recognised as England's first-choice right-back. His return to full training this week would restore stability to a position that has resembled a revolving door.

If James proves fit, Tuchel gains his most natural defensive outlet on the right flank against a Norway side that presses aggressively. If not, the manager must decide whether Konsa's positional discipline or Spence's attacking instinct better serves England's structure in a match where defensive errors carry elimination consequences.