Sami Mokbel
BBC Sport Senior football correspondent

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Central defender Ezri Konsa told BBC Sport about being asked to fill in at right-back during the win over Mexico following Quansah's dismissal.

"With the heat and everything and having to change positions, going to right wing-back with a man down, it's not easy," said the Aston Villa player.

"You have to tuck in and then, when the ball gets switched, you've got to run out and try and stop crosses.

"And I think the first 10 minutes mentally was tough because I was feeling it a little bit, but I had to find a switch and overcome it."

Konsa recalled the encouragement he received from team-mate John Stones, who he said "kept pushing me".

"He even asked to swap positions," Konsa said.

"But I told him: 'No, don't worry, it's fine.'

"So yeah, I had to find a switch. And thankfully I managed to find it just in time.

"Super proud of the boys and what we managed to achieve that night.

"I'll always play wherever the manager wants me to play. As long as I'm on that pitch and helping the team, I'm happy no matter where I'm playing."

The question now is, who should start at right-back for England against Norway?

• Is it worth risking Reece James, if he is back in training?
• Or should Djed Spence be brought back in that position?
• Or could Ezri Konsa do a job there after filling in against Mexico?

Put yourself in Thomas Tuchel's shoes - who would you start with at right-back against Norway and why?

Click 'Get Involved' to have your say.

Thanks.

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Who plays at right-back for England and who provides cover is a debate that started on the eve of this tournament and shows no signs of abating as the Three Lions prepare for tonight's quarter-final against Norway.

When Tino Livramento was forced to pull out of the World Cup squad through injury, it left Thomas Tuchel light om numbers in the full-back positions.

He overlooked established full-backs, such as Lewis Hall and Trent Alexander-Arnold, and chose instead to call up Chelsea centre-back Trevoh Chalobah as Livramento's replacement.

Tuchel's explanation was that Chalobah would allow Jarell Quansah - a centre-back who can fill in at right-back - to switch to the full-back role if needed.

Reece James - England's first-choice right-back - then picked up a hamstring injury in their second game of the group stages.

Since then both Quansah and Djed Spence, even key midfielder Declan Rice, have been tried at right-back, while established centre-back Ezri Konsa switched to fill in for Quansah following his red card against Mexico.

Dale Johnson
Football issues correspondent

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England defender Jarell Quansah is also missing after being given a two-match ban for his red card against Mexico.

Quansah was sent off in the 54th minute of the 3-2 win following a high challenge on Jesus Gallardo.

It was classed as serious foul play, meaning the Bayer Leverkusen player was handed an extra match on top of the automatic one-game suspension by Fifa's disciplinary committee.

Former Liverpool man Quansah will miss Saturday's quarter-final with Norway and a potential semi-final against Argentina or Switzerland.

Quansah, 23, will be available if England reach the final in New Jersey on 19 July.

The Football Association was considering whether to appeal, but under the tournament regulations there is no avenue to contest the ban.

England

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Let's check on the England squad and see who Thomas Tuchel will have to pick from when his side take on Norway tonight.

Jordan Henderson is a firm no as the Brentford midfielder is recovering from surgery after he broke his arm following the Three Lions' memorable win over Mexico.

There was concern over the availability of Marc Guehi after the defender reported a slight hamstring injury after the last-16 clash - but the Manchester City defender trained on Friday.

Also in training was Reece James, who is in contention to face Norway after missing the last three games with a hamstring injury.

Declan Rice returned, too, after his fitness was in doubt due to a neural issue affecting his hamstring and lower back, which was made worse by illness. The Arsenal midfielder missed two days of training with a sickness bug.

The fact that game was 20 years ago has hit me hard, I don't mind telling you.

But enough of the reminiscing, let's step back into the present and, if you will, take a little look into the future.

What we want to know now is whether England can join France and Spain in the semi-finals?

In just a little over 10 hours' time, the Three Lions will be taking on Norway in Miami in the last eight of the World Cup.

Tell us how you are feeling ahead of tonight's big game and how you think it will turn out for Thomas Tuchel's side.

Just click 'Get Involved' and start typing...

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France and Spain have played each other in a World Cup game just once before.

Luis Aragones's Spain were on a run of 10 World Cup matches unbeaten when they faced France in the round of 16, and took a 1-0 lead as David Villa scored from the penalty spot.

Franck Ribery equalised before half time then Patrick Vieira headed France into the lead with seven minutes to play.

Opening themselves up in their quest for a leveller, Spain conceded again in stoppage time as Zinedine Zidane struck a third goal for France.

It was the first defeat that Spain had suffered in 25 games under Aragones.

All this sounding vaguely familiar? Exhibit A and Exhibit B...

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In the latest episode of Football Daily at the World Cup, presenter Rick Edwards and co-host Lloyd Griffith are joined by Guillem Balague and Stephen Warnock after watching Spain's win over Belgium in Los Angeles.

They discuss why Spain keep finding a way to win, whether Lamine Yamal has reached the heights everyone expected and how France now await in one of the most keenly anticipated ties of the tournament.

The boys also look ahead to England's quarter-final against Norway, with all eyes on the battle between Harry Kane and Erling Haaland.

Rick Edwards
Presenter on BBC Radio 5 Live

The two favourites are Spain and France.

France's attack is so exciting and fast and dynamic and varied. Whereas Spain's is just a bit more deliberate, a bit slower, intricate. They both clearly have merit, one is just slightly more exciting to watch.

It was fun seeing the Spain attack in action, and what Lamine Yamal can do - not that he's probably done as much as he would like in this tournament yet, but he's coming off the back of an injury.

It is interesting. Every time he gets the ball in the stadium you can feel the excitement, there's a fizz of excitement. He's on the billboards, his name is on the shirts. This team, there's so much focus on him and he's still 18.

I think that he is trying to force it sometimes. He doesn't need to force it.

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Another nine-goal classic would do nicely in the semi-final, thank you very much.

Thumbs up if you think that's what we are going to get?

The fact Spain and France have conceded three goals between them so far in this tournament would suggest otherwise.

But then again, the two sides have not come up against an opponent of their quality yet, so you never know...

Lamine Yamal and Luis de la Fuente are both confident that Spain's recent record against France stands them in good stead for their upcoming semi-final.

In the semi-finals of the 2024 European Championship, the sides met in Munich, where Randal Kolo Muani put France ahead in the ninth minute before Spain hit back with two goals in four first-half minutes to go through with a 2-1 win.

The following year, Spain came out on top of a nine-goal contest to reach the final of the Nations League. Yamal scored twice as Spain established a 5-1 lead before resisting a late France comeback and winning 5-4.

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When France and Spain started plotting their routes to the final, they'll have no doubt noted that they could face one another in the final four.

It's been pretty plan sailing for both teams up to this point but one of them will suffer heartbreak on Tuesday.

France have certainly looked the more threatening side going forward out of the two, but Spain have conceded just once in the tournament so far.

"It’s legitimate and fair to think that we’re going to work to try and beat France,’ Spain boss De la Fuente said.

"I think they’ll be just as worried. We’re the only team in the world that has managed to beat them two games in a row, we’ve done it.

"But this third game is going to be different. Two great teams are going to face off."

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You read that right. Spain have beaten France in the last two matches they have played.

More on that in a moment.

First, we have Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente's take on the semi-final match-up...

Lamine Yamal has been one of the few superstars yet to live up to his reputation at this summer's World Cup.

But there were signs that the Barcelona teenager was getting back to his best in the victory over Belgium.

France, though, are likely to prove an entirely different proposition.

Not that Yamal is worried.

"We came to the semi-final for this, to play these matches and win them. Now, it’s time to rest and focus on the match against France," Yamal said.

"We beat France the last two times we played them. We’re not afraid.

"There are two options…either they reach three consecutive World Cup finals, or we beat them three times.

"I don’t know what might happen, but we’re not afraid."

Image source, Getty Images

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The sense is that while Spain and Lamine Yamal have been feeling their way into this tournament, their semi-final opponents France hit the ground running from their very first game and - Paraguay apart - have been winning matches with a swagger.

But the end result has been much the same.

France have won all six matches, scoring a tournament-high 16 goals, but have also given very little away at the back, conceding just two.

Spain, meanwhile, have won their last five matches after being held to a goalless draw by Cape Verde in their opener.

They have scored 11 goals in their six games but, potentially most importantly, have conceded just one goal - to Belgium in their quarter-final win.

Where the two teams differ is the form of their talisman.

France's Kylian Mbappe has had the most goal involvements of any player, with 11, and is level with Lionel Messi at the top of the scoring charts with eight goals.

Spain's Lamine Yamal, in contrast, has scored one goal and is yet to provide an assist.