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How the USA could line up against the Netherlands

sportsmole.co.uk, 1 December 2022, 10:19
The USA are dealing with no fewer than three injury concerns ahead of their World Cup 2022 last-16 clash with the Netherlands at the Khalifa International Stadium on Saturday.

Gregg Berhalter's men advanced to the knockout rounds after a 1-0 win over Iran gave them a second-placed finish in Group B, with Christian Pulisic scoring the only goal of the game.

The Chelsea attacker suffered a pelvic contusion while scoring and is being assessed day-to-day ahead of this one, but he affirmed from his hospital bed that he would be fit for the last-16 battle.

Should Pulisic's words ring true, the 24-year-old can expect to line up on the left as Timothy Weah continues on the right, but Berhalter must also check on the fitness of Joshua Sargent, who sustained an ankle injury on Tuesday.

Sargent is reported to have undergone scans earlier this week but is also said to be optimistic about his chances of starting up front, although Haji Wright and Jesus Ferreira are on standby in any case.

The third and final fitness concern arising from the Iran win is Weston McKennie, who came off on the 65-minute mark due to a reported thigh injury that he has been dealing with, but again, the Juventus lynchpin is hopeful that he will shake off the issue in time to start.

An unchanged midfield should therefore see McKennie link arms with Yunus Musah and Tyler Adams, as Cameron Carter-Vickers and Tim Ream form the centre-back pairing once again.

Sergino Dest and Antonee Robinson will occupy the full-back roles, while Arsenal number two Matt Turner continues as the last line of defence after becoming the first USA goalkeeper since 1930 to record multiple clean sheets at a World Cup.

USA possible starting lineup: Turner; Dest, Carter-Vickers, Ream, Robinson; McKennie, Adams, Musah; Weah, Sargent, Pulisic

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