Dele Alli injury could rule England star out of World Cup group stages after minor strain

Dele Alli's participation at the World Cup will be carefully managed amid fears he could be a doubt for both of England’s final group matches with a thigh problem.

The FA released an update last night confirming that the Tottenham midfielder had suffered a minor strain. However, it is understood that there are concerns within Alli’s camp that the injury could worsen to the extent his involvement against Panama and Belgium is in jeopardy.

The players were given today off to relax after arriving back yesterday at their Repino base following Monday’s 2-1 win over Tunisia in Volgograd.

It is believed that the players’ families — many of whom are based here, about a 45-minute drive from Repino — have been invited to visit the team hotel, while the squad have also been given the option of exploring the surrounding area, if accompanied by a member of the team’s security detail.

Alli is unlikely to train tomorrow for fear of aggravating his injury, but even without the Spurs midfielder, England are hot favourites to beat Panama in Nizhny Novgorod on Sunday and all but seal their progression to the last 16.

Manager Gareth Southgate is keen not to plan too far ahead, but the appetite for winning the group could be diminished given Germany lost their opening game to Mexico. That means the defending champions could face Brazil in the last 16. Were England to finish second in Group G, they would avoid the winners of a Germany versus Brazil clash in the quarter-finals.

Of more immediate concern, however, is who replaces Alli against Panama should he miss out. Southgate planned to introduce Fabian Delph when Alli pulled up with the problem during the first half against Tunisia, but the 22-year-old continued until the 80th minute, when he was replaced by Ruben Loftus-Cheek. When asked if he is hoping to start against Panama, Loftus-Cheek said: “I am happy if I start or if I don’t. I will be ready.”