Tuchel set to bench Saka again against Ghana as Achilles concern shapes England's World Cup plan

Thomas Tuchel has indicated Bukayo Saka will again be held back from the starting line-up when England face Ghana at Boston Stadium on Tuesday, with the manager prioritising the Arsenal winger’s long-term fitness over short-term availability in the World Cup group stage.

Saka made an immediate impact from the bench in England’s 4-2 opening victory over Croatia, providing an assist for Marcus Rashford shortly after coming on as a second-half substitute. Despite that cameo, the 24-year-old’s Achilles tendinitis means his minutes are being rationed — a stance Tuchel made explicit in his pre-match briefing.

“Bukayo is ready and will get more and more ready,” Tuchel said. “I think once we go to the last game of this group he will be ready.” The comment strongly implies Saka is being pointed towards England’s final Group L fixture against Panama in New Jersey rather than Tuesday’s top-of-the-table meeting with Ghana.

Medical assessments have found that the Achilles issue has not worsened since the end of the domestic season — Saka played through the problem during Arsenal’s Premier League title run-in — but Tuchel is taking no chances with one of England’s most important attacking players. The approach stands in contrast to Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta’s policy of keeping injury details strictly private.

England’s attacking depth softens the blow of Saka’s absence. Noni Madueke is expected to start on the right flank, while Ivan Toney underlined the squad’s options by scoring a hat-trick in a recent 5-1 private friendly against Sporting Kansas City.

Ghana arrive in Boston having opened their campaign with a disciplined 1-0 win over Panama, and a victory for either side would go a long way towards securing a place in the round of 32. For England, winning back-to-back group games would effectively confirm their progression before the Panama match, giving Tuchel the freedom to bring Saka to full sharpness at exactly the moment the tournament enters its most demanding phase.