Leicester City playmaker James Maddison didn't train with England on Thursday (December 17) to manage his workload as he steps up his recovery from a knee injury in a bid to feature at the World Cup.
The 25-year-old was named in Gareth Southgate's 26-man squad for the tournament in Qatar, last week, and is looking to add to his one cap.
Maddison and, fellow injury concern, Kyle Walker they trained on Wednesday but he was absent from their Iran preparations yesterday as his training load is managed to aid his recovery.
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He is under the microscope of the England medics after he was forced off against West Ham on the eve of the break for the World Cup. Maddison opened the scoring against the Hammers in their 2-0 win but after 17 minutes succumb to the treatment table.
The Foxes midfielder was on media duties on Wednesday and addressed his injury fears, he said: "We had a scan the day before we met up. It was a positive scan.
"I had a little problem in the week building up to the West Ham game and post-Everton game which was the week before for us. I wanted to play, I didn't want to not give it a go because of the World Cup. That's not the person I am."
Maddison's scan on Sunday that showed his knee was not a major issue heading into the tournament.
England kick off their 2022 World Cup campaign on Monday where they face Iran at 1pm GMT. Southgate is into his sixth year in the hot seat and is looking to improve upon their semi-final defeat in 2018. Only Sir Alf Ramsey - the man who guided the Three Lions to glory in 1966 - has taken England further at the major tournament.
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