Declan Rice is confident he will be fit to start England's World Cup semi-final against Argentina despite being forced off during the victory over Norway after falling ill.
The Arsenal midfielder was substituted at half-time in Saturday's dramatic 2-1 extra-time triumph in Miami, sparking fears he could become a major doubt for England's biggest match of the tournament.
However, Rice has reassured England's medical staff that he expects to be ready for Wednesday night's showdown in Atlanta, even though he is still recovering from the illness that disrupted his preparations for the quarter-final.
The midfielder had spent much of the build-up confined to bed after being struck down by a sickness bug.
Thomas Tuchel admitted after the match that Rice had never been expected to complete the full contest.
"We knew Declan had struggled over the last three days, where he was in bed most of the time," the England manager said.
Despite not yet feeling fully recovered, Rice is optimistic about his chances of facing the reigning world champions as England chase a place in their first World Cup final for 60 years.
The illness is the latest setback Rice has had to manage during the campaign.
The 26-year-old has also been playing through ongoing discomfort in his hamstring and lower back, issues that have reportedly troubled him since December.
England have also been handed encouraging news over Jude Bellingham.
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The Real Madrid midfielder prompted concern after television cameras and photographs appeared to show him holding the top of his left arm following the win over Norway.
Images of Bellingham clutching his shoulder area quickly attracted attention, particularly in Argentina, where several media outlets questioned whether England's star man had suffered an injury before the semi-final.
The 23-year-old has a history of shoulder problems, having undergone surgery last summer after playing for more than a year with a longstanding issue.
However, there is no indication the midfielder is facing a fresh injury concern ahead of Wednesday's clash.
While Bellingham continues to experience occasional stiffness related to his previous shoulder problem, he has told England staff that it does not affect his performances during matches.
That will come as a major relief for Tuchel given Bellingham's outstanding form throughout the tournament.
The attacking midfielder has scored six goals in six World Cup appearances, including match-winning braces against both Mexico and Norway.
England last faced Argentina back in 2005.
The Three Lions won 3-2 in that friendly fixture, with Michael Owen scoring two late goals.
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