Gareth Southgate has stuck with Raheem Sterling for England’s Group G game with Panama today.
Steve Holland’s leaked team plans had seemed to suggest that Marcus Rashford would replace Sterling in England’s attack.
But England manager Southgate has opted to give Sterling another chance and make just one change to the team that beat Tunisia.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek will replace the injured Dele Alli in midfield as England seek to secure qualification to the knockout stages.
Ashley Young has kept his place at left wing-back ahead of Danny Rose.
Southgate had yesterday navigated his way through more questions on his assistant Holland accidentally leaking team news plans during the week.
The England manager even took the unprecedented step of apologising to members of the press who had come under fire for reporting the story.
But there was a more important point in Southgate’s handling of the situation, which had highlighted the effects a tournament environment and cabin fever can have on mindsets.
He said: “It’s a bonkers environment, isn’t it? It’s a real danger for us as a team that I’ve got to make sure we keep getting the lads out of the hotel, get their time with their families, get some broader perspective on things because we could get insular and defensive.
“The danger is you lose that bit of life perspective. At your club you go home to your family and cuddle your kids, and you miss all of those other bits as I am sure you guys [the press] do as well.
“So, I’ve got to keep getting people out in the fresh air and down to the less dangerous parts of the beach, where you can’t hurt yourself, and just keep it an environment where we’re relaxed and having fun because I think the players are responding well to that.”
England need a win to keep pace with Belgium at the top of Group G after they beat Tunisia 5-2, but their manager, Roberto Martinez, said he would play a weakened side when the two meet on Thursday.
Romelu Lukaku, who scored twice, is a doubt after suffering an ankle injury but Martinez will play a second-string side in a game which is likely to decide who will top the group.
“If we could have seven days to prepare the game and then have seven days for the next game I would say carry on with the same starting 11," said Martinez.
“The reality now is that we are qualified and in a tournament like the World Cup you’re only as good as the 23 players in your squad. There’ll be opportunities for other players, there’ll be opportunities to give minutes to other players who deserve them."