Phil Foden returns to training in England after a coronavirus attack
England will check Phil Foden’s physical condition late to see if he could play in Tuesday’s League of Nations match with Hungary at Molineux.
Foden missed matches in Hungary, Germany and at home in Italy after testing positive for coronavirus.
Chief Gareth Southgate said: “We need to talk to our fitness boys and our medical team.
“He’s back in training, but there’s a reality of how much conditioning he’s had over the last three weeks.”
The match with Hungary will be played in front of about 32,000 exhausted spectators.
The first round of the League of Nations in Budapest – and England’s clash with Italy in Molineux – was played against the children and adults who accompanied them as a result of the punishments against the Hungarian and English FAs respectively.
England are last in the A3 group after losing 1-0 to Hungary and drawing with Germany and Italy.
Midfielder Conor Gallagher is the only outfielder to play this month.
“He will have a chance,” Southgate added. “The reason is that only the teams we have chosen, the formations we have chosen, have not necessarily fit up to this point.
“Plus, you have to win your English trophies. Even though we’re trying to look at things, everyone has to be patient.”
England have only scored once this month: Harry Kane’s final penalty against Germany for his 50th international goal.
Raheem Sterling is the only other player in the double-digit squad for England’s goals.
Captain Kane said: “If you look at the last two or three years, we have definitely had goals in different areas in terms of set pieces, defenders scoring goals, midfielders collecting goals.
“In any first – tier team, you will probably have a top striker who gets the most goals, a main offensive winger who will score a few goals.
“I’m sure all the guys who wear the England shirt want to score and get assists and affect the game.”
Potential Crowd Problems?
There are concerns about audience problems in Wolverhampton, with two of England’s four parties so far with restricted attendance, and problems when they have met Hungary recently.
July 2021 – UEFA fines Hungary and orders the closure of the three-match stadium (one suspended) for racist and homophobic fan behavior during Euro 2020.
July 2021 – Uefa fines England and order the closure of the two-match stadium (one suspended) as punishment for riots at Wembley during the Euro 2020 final.
September 2021: Fans are allowed in Hungary against England (because it is a FIFA World Cup qualifier) and England players are racially abused. It translates into a two-match stadium closure (one suspended).
October 2021: Hungarian fans clash with police at Wembley and then confront local players on their knees. As a result, FIFA expels Hungarian fans from the next match against Poland.
June 2022: The game is played “behind closed doors” in Budapest, but there are boos from a crowd of 30,000 children and adults accompanying them.