Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke and John Stones have complicated Thomas Tuchel's World Cup preparations by joining the contingent who have left the squad before England's friendly against Japan.
Tuchel named an oversized 35-man squad for this month's camp, with a view to creating competition for places before the final selection for this summer's finals in Canada, Mexico and the USA is made. Saka and Rice were among a group of 11 players who were allowed to join up late, meaning England played an experimental side when they drew with Uruguay at Wembley on Friday night.
Stones was due to start in central defence against Uruguay, only to pull out with a calf injury. The experienced defender, who has made only 19 appearances for club and country this season, has returned to Manchester City and his exit raises major doubt over whether Tuchel can take him to the World Cup.
Tuchel, who is concerned about his side's workload, planned to give certain players a rest after a taxing season and then bring them into the picture for the game against Japan on Tuesday. Rice and Saka joined Dean Henderson, Dan Burn, Marc Guéhi, Ezri Konsa, Nico O'Reilly, Elliot Anderson, Morgan Rogers, Anthony Gordon and Harry Kane in reporting for duty late.
Yet while Tuchel was set to drop a few hints about his thoughts for the World Cup by cutting players who had not made the grade before training against Uruguay and during the game with the South American side, five of the eight players who are leaving the camp have ended up doing so because of injury. Arsenal's Madueke and Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton have departed for treatment after taking blows against Uruguay. The Newcastle goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, the Milan defender Fikayo Tomori and the Leeds striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin have been sent on their way.
The game against Uruguay did not go smoothly. An unfamiliar England side lacked fluency, with several individuals failing to advance their cause, and a bruising encounter saw Madueke limp off after suffering an injury during the first half. The Arsenal winger left Wembley with his left leg in a brace – a sight that is unlikely to have gone down well with Mikel Arteta, with his side closing in on the Premier League title. Madueke has pulled out of the Japan game and is not the only Arsenal player to withdraw, with Rice and Saka also heading back to their club for assessment on minor problems.
