England vs Ghana: Saka, Rashford and Guehi Among Tuchel’s Biggest World Cup Calls

by Devesh Jaganath

image England vs Ghana: Saka, Rashford and Guehi Among Tuchel’s Biggest World Cup Calls
After England’s World Cup victory over Croatia in their opening match of the tournament, Thomas Tuchel must now decide whether to keep faith with his winning formula or make changes, with the likes of Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford and Marc Guéhi all pushing to start their crucial Group L encounter with Ghana.

1. Bukayo Saka or Noni Madueke (right wing)

England received a major boost in the lead-up to their second match in Group L against Ghana in Boston tonight, with Bukayo Saka returning to full training after participating in individual sessions since the team’s 4-2 victory over Croatia, which confirmed our 2026 World Cup predictions. 

The 24-year-old has been struggling with an Achilles injury since March and has accumulated just 45 minutes of playing time across his last two England appearances, with Thomas Tuchel making clear ahead of the global tournament that the Arsenal winger’s minutes will be managed. 

Saka confirmed in a press conference last week that he is ready to return to the starting XI, and his return to training is certainly a positive sign for his chances to do so tonight. However, the big question now is whether Tuchel will opt to drop his club teammate Noni Madueke from the lineup.

Madueke was called up to the Three Lions’ setup after an incredible first season with the Gunners, in which he helped Mikel Arteta’s side lift their first Premier League trophy in over two decades before producing a standout performance against Vatreni last week. 

The former Chelsea winger was a bundle of energy down England’s right flank and won the penalty which Harry Kane converted to give England the lead in their World Cup opener. Tuchel has also consistently said that Madueke can be the “difference-maker” for the team since he took charge. 

While many English fans are hoping to see Saka get the nod tonight, most from a neutral perspective are in agreement that it does not make sense for Tuchel to risk him in such a crucial match against the Black Stars, who are expected to be physical in their approach. 

If England beat Ghana in Boston, they will be assured a spot in the knockout rounds, making their final match in Group L against Panama the perfect opportunity to hand Saka his first start of the tournament. 

2. Marcus Rashford or Anthony Gordon (left wing)

One of the major sub-plots ahead of this World Cup comes between Marcus Rashford and Anthony Gordon. Rashford enjoyed a solid loan spell at Barcelona last season, but the Spanish giants dropped a bombshell by splashing out £69.3m to sign Gordon instead. 

The pair were already competing for a place on England’s left flank in the lead-up to the World Cup, but it was the former Newcastle United man who got the starting role against Croatia after an impressive showing in the team’s warm-up victory over Costa Rica. 

However, as our experts alluded to in our England vs Ghana prediction, Rashford made a serious case for inclusion from the start against the Black Stars, delivering a lively 18-minute cameo against Vatreni, which included scoring the Three Lions’ final goal in the 4-2 victory. 

Additionally, Gordon was short on match action in the lead-up to the global tournament after missing games toward the end of last season as Magpies’ head coach Eddie Howe left him out for a handful of games, seemingly knowing that the 25-year-old was on his way out of St. James’ Park. 

Despite the fierce competition and external chatter on who deserves a starting berth, Rashford remains focused on his game and what the Three Lions need to do to get the better of Black Stars in their crunch match tonight. Read every word from his full pre-match interview below. 

3. Marc Guehi or John Stones (centre-back)

As already mentioned, England’s attack against Croatia was sublime, but the same cannot be said about their defence, particularly the central pairing of John Stones and Ezri Konsa, which leaves Tuchel with another massive decision to make ahead of tonight’s showdown. 

Konsa faced criticism for his flat-footedness in the lead-up to Croatia’s second goal last week and was fairly average in other areas, winning just three of his eight ground duels, one of his five aerial duels, while failing to make a single interception. 

Stones, on the other hand, won four of his seven duels but made just one tackle across the 90, which ultimately did not really come off. In many ways, his performance looked every bit of a player who made just 18 appearances for his club last season, shaky on the ball and slow to react off it. 

Enter Marc Guehi, a player many believed should have started England’s opener against Croatia! 

The Man City defender was a regular choice under Pep Guardiola domestically last season, and Gareth Southgate during Euro 2024, when defence was considered England’s greatest strength and their attacking output proved a source of frustration. 

At 25, Guehi has continued to elevate his game since the Euros. His move from Crystal Palace to the Etihad in January has fast-tracked his development, while another FA Cup winners’ medal in May further underlined his growing reputation at the highest level. 

Guehi came off the bench to settle nerves in the last match. Since his Premier League debut for the Citizens, he has ranked among the best in the division for both defensive and ball-playing metrics, including fourth for interceptions, sixth for forward passes and 10th for possession won in the defensive third.