Football
Mark Ogden, Senior Writer, ESPN FC 6y

England's Dele Alli a doubt vs. Panama due to thigh strain - sources

Dele Alli is a doubt for England's World Cup clash with Panama on Sunday, sources have told ESPN FC, after suffering a thigh strain during the Three Lions' 2-1 Group G victory against Tunisia on Monday.

The Tottenham midfielder was replaced by Ruben Loftus-Cheek in the 80th minute of the game in Volgograd having initially suffered the injury during the first half.

Alli underwent treatment at the time, with England manager Gareth Southgate readying substitute Fabian Delph to replace the 22-year-old, only for the player to signal he was able to continue.

After returning to their Repino training base on Tuesday morning, however, England's medical team sent Alli for a scan, with the results highlighting what sources have described as a "minor" strain.

Alli will not train for the next 2-3 days as the England physios treat the problem and sources have told ESPN FC that is too soon to say whether he will be fit to face Panama in Nizhny-Novgorod on Sunday, when a win will almost certainly confirm a place in the last 16 for Southgate's men.

Should Alli fail to prove his fitness in time, Southgate is expected to insert Chelsea midfielder Loftus-Cheek or move Manchester United's Jesse Lingard into the No. 10 role behind captain Harry Kane.

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