Saka trains alone as England prepare for Ghana game

Bukayo Saka trained alone indoors on an individual programme while the rest of the England squad prepared for their second World Cup match against Ghana on Tuesday in Boston. The Arsenal winger continues to deal with an Achilles tendon issue that has been affecting him since March.

Manager Thomas Tuchel led the training session at Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City with 25 of his 26 players, as baseball teams KC Royals and St Louis Cardinals watched after their own game on Friday.

Saka came off the bench in the 4-2 win over Croatia on Wednesday, providing an assist to Marcus Rashford. Before the tournament, Tuchel acknowledged that Saka would need to be managed through the early stages due to what is believed to be Achilles tendinitis.

Tuchel indicated that Saka is unlikely to start until the final Group L match against Panama on June 27. "Bukayo is ready and will get more and more ready. I think once we go to the last game of this group he will be ready," Tuchel said.

While Arsenal had concerns behind the scenes about Saka's injury, they deemed him fit enough to play regularly during their title-winning run. Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has generally kept information about Saka's condition private, but Tuchel's openness has brought the winger's fitness into the spotlight.

Tuchel's latest comments suggest he is protecting Saka, knowing the winger could be a crucial asset in the latter stages of the tournament. However, Saka could also start against Ghana if needed.