Five things noticed from England training ahead of World Cup clash vs USA

England captain Harry Kane trained ahead of Friday's World Cup clash against the United States after Gareth Southgate laid to rest fears of a foot injury for the striker.

Kane suffered a knock after a clumsy challenge by Morteza Pouraliganji in England's 6-2 win against Iran on Monday - the national team's biggest ever win at the start of a major tournament.

The Spurs striker, who has a history of ankle problems, did play on for 25 minutes but was seen limping after the game and went for a precautionary scan.

Southgate revealed Kane had trained with the rest of the squad behind closed doors on Wednesday and he also joined his team-mates on the pitch at England's Al Wakrah camp when the cameras were present on Thursday.

"He is good, he has worked a little bit more individually on Wednesday but he will back in with the team on Thursday and good for the game," Southgate said on ITV.

"We just checked him out, just to see. I think sometimes when you are treating things it is important to know exactly what is there and that was all good. It is not so much the ankle. It is more the foot. It was a poor challenge really but I think it is one that fortunately we have got away with reasonably lightly."

Here is what Mirror Foootball's Andy Dunn spotted from the final training session at their Al Wakrah base before their second group stage game of the World Cup against the United States.

1) All systems go for the skipper

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Harry Kane was all smiles as he was one of the first out for the training session after having had the all-clear to face the United States on Friday night.

Gareth Southgate looked on but not before telling ITV that his captain was fit and raring to go as his squad got ready to take on the Americans in the Al Bayt Stadium.

He also confirmed the nature of Kane's minor injury, sustained after a bad challenge in the 6-2 win over Iran. "It's not so much the ankle, it's more the foot," said the England manager, which, considering Kane's history of ankle problems, is more good news.

2) Maguire and Trippier escape the bubble

Continuing Covid fears mean that the England squad is still cautious about too much contact with people from 'outside the bubble'.

In more intimate interview settings, journalists are asked to wear masks. But players were happy to see some acquaintances who had managed to get access to the first 15 minutes of the training session, courtesy of FIFA.

Kieran Trippier and Harry Maguire greeted a couple of friends with fist-bumps and chatted for five minutes before starting their session.

3) Still no sign of the missing maverick

Unless he was sleeping off a hangover after celebrating his 26th birthday on Wednesday - highly unlikely - we can assume James Maddison is continuing his personal fitness programme as he tries to get rid of the niggling injury that has stopped him taking part in full sessions since he arrived in Qatar.

Madders was again confined to gymnasium barracks and will not be an option for the game against the United States. And it now must be extremely doubtful if Maddison will be available for the final group game against Wales on Tuesday.

4) The Three Lions prove a popular attraction

With FIFA grabbing a slice of the action on what they like to call Matchday-1 (MD-1) - otherwise known as Thursday - it was busier than normal at the Al Wakrah complex, 12 miles outside Doha.

There were some commercial types watching on and, more pleasingly, Southgate and the England squad were scheduled to welcome children from a local school later in the afternoon before the manager and Harry Maguire headed to the main media centre to do the official MD-1 press conference.

But the onlookers were cleared out after a quarter of an hour as Southgate prepared to put his starting eleven through some drills.

5) Plenty of chat of what to say and when

Away from the training pitch, there has been plenty of talk amongst the FA personnel about the ongoing One Love controversy.

With things going relatively smoothly, football-wise, in the short time England have been here, most of the behind-the-scenes chat and the furtive touchline conversations at the Al Wakrah base has been about what approach the Football Association should now take. Watch this space.

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