Arsenal superstar Bukayo Saka has been tipped to be axed from England's World Cup opener against Croatia, with Darren Bent suggesting Thomas Tuchel could spring a surprise by starting Noni Madueke instead.
Competition for the right wing spot
Both Saka and Madueke are vying for the right wing position in the England team this summer, mirroring their roles at Arsenal. In Mikel Arteta's side, Saka is the clear first choice, with Madueke serving as backup. However, Tuchel may see things differently.
Saka is nursing an Achilles problem and, while available, came off the bench in the friendly win over Costa Rica on Wednesday night, a match Madueke started. Speaking to talkSPORT, former England striker Bent said: 'I think Tuchel likes Madueke. Remember his first couple of games, they were stinkers. It was Anderson and Madueke who came out with any kind of credit. I think he really likes Madueke, so it wouldn't surprise me if he started.'
Madueke's missed chance
Madueke did not necessarily help his cause against Costa Rica, missing a remarkable chance after rounding the goalkeeper. Bent commented: 'That last night epitomised what I've seen of Madueke this season. I call him "the nearly man" because he always nearly does something brilliant. The run through was brilliant, the timing of the run, the little drag back with the studs, the last part, which makes it spectacular, he misses the goal.'
Despite the miss, Madueke remained confident after the match, telling ITV: 'It was perfect. Acclimatisation to the conditions was probably most important and to win the game by three goals and keep a clean sheet is great going into the tournament. We're full of confidence, happy with how we played.'
Tuchel's stance on Saka
Tuchel has been clear that Saka's ongoing injury is hampering him. Speaking ahead of the Costa Rica friendly, he said: 'Bukayo is still getting there, playing through discomfort at the end of the season. Obviously managing it and playing at a high level but still not on his 100 per cent. He is the one we are building and taking care of in training. Bukayo is just not there yet. Some things are missing ... consecutive trainings. They took very good care of him at Arsenal and were very aware of it and we will do a little bit the same. He is at the moment not able to do every training session through the week and then play. He is still going to be managed.'
Tuchel added: 'Arsenal brought him back at the end of April and he was straight away decisive. And then they decided together – Bukayo and Arsenal – to let him play through his pain and discomfort, even if it was not possible to train the whole week in the buildups. I think it is very unlikely Bukayo starts and finishes all the matches from now on.'
While it seems likely that Saka remains Tuchel's first choice on the right wing, the manager's comments suggest Madueke could get the nod in the opener. Madueke, reflecting on the team's spirit, said: 'Fantastic. Great continuation from all the camps this year. There's a great spirit in the group. Clear idea of how we want to play.'
