England sweat on Konsa and O'Reilly for Czech Republic trip
England could be without Ezri Konsa and Nico O'Reilly for Tuesday night's Nations League match against the Czech Republic. Both defenders sat out training on Monday morning and are now uncertain for the trip.
The pair were the only two members of Thomas Tuchel's squad to miss the session. That absence has left both as doubts for the game in Czechia, according to BBC.
It is a quick turnaround. Both players completed the full 90 minutes of Saturday's 3-2 loss to Spain. O'Reilly, who plays for Manchester City, started that game at left-back, the defensive role on the left side of the back line.
Konsa started alongside him in defence and also stayed on for the whole match. England were beaten after a five-goal contest. The defeat leaves Tuesday as an immediate chance to respond.
Playing Saturday then Tuesday is standard in an international break, when countries fit two fixtures into a few days. Managers often rotate to keep legs fresh. Missing a session does not always rule a player out, but it puts his starting place at risk.
Tuchel does have cover if he needs it. Jarrad Branthwaite came on for Marc Guehi late against Spain and offers another option at centre-back, the middle of the defence. Guehi himself finished the Spain game after starting alongside Konsa.
Tuchel is due to hold his pre-match press conference in Prague on Monday, according to Evening Standard. England will travel to Czechia for Tuesday's tie, as reported by The Sun. Final decisions on Konsa and O'Reilly are likely to come close to kick-off.
The Nations League is UEFA's tournament for national teams, played in groups between major championships. It decides ranking and seeding as well as a trophy in its own right. It gives competitive meaning to the autumn internationals, and for England these games are also part of Tuchel's longer build.
For fans, this means a wait for team news. Losing two players who played every minute on Saturday would force a reshuffle. The starting line-up is usually confirmed an hour before kick-off, so Tuchel's update from Prague will be the guide.
