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Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke and John Stones have complicated Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup preparations by joining the contingent who have left the squad before England’s friendly against Japan.

Tuchel named an oversized 35-man squad for this month’s camp, with a view to creating competition for places before the final selection for this summer’s finals in Canada, Mexico and the USA is made. Saka and Rice were among a group of 11 players who were allowed to join up late, meaning England played an experimental side when they drew with Uruguay at Wembley on Friday night.

Stones was due to start in central defence against Uruguay, only to pull out with a calf injury. The experienced defender, who has made only 19 appearances for club and country this season, has returned to Manchester City and his exit raises major doubt over whether Tuchel can take him to the World Cup.

Tuchel, who is concerned about his side’s workload, planned to give certain players a rest after a taxing season and then bring them into the picture for the game against Japan on Tuesday. Rice and Saka joined Dean Henderson, Dan Burn, Marc Guéhi, Ezri Konsa, Nico O’Reilly, Elliot Anderson, Morgan Rogers, Anthony Gordon and Harry Kane in reporting for duty late.

Yet while Tuchel was set to drop a few hints about his thoughts for the World Cup by cutting players who had not made the grade before training against Uruguay and during the game with the South American side, five of the eight players who are leaving the camp have ended up doing so because of injury. Arsenal’s Madueke and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton have departed for treatment after taking blows against Uruguay. The Newcastle goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, the Milan defender Fikayo Tomori and the Leeds striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin have been sent on their way.

The game against Uruguay did not go smoothly. An unfamiliar England side lacked fluency, with several individuals failing to advance their cause, and a bruising encounter saw Madueke limp off after suffering an injury during the first half.

The Arsenal winger left Wembley with his left leg in a brace – a sight that is unlikely to have gone down well with Mikel Arteta, with his side closing in on the Premier League title. Madueke has pulled out of the Japan game and is not the only Arsenal player to withdraw, with Rice and Saka also heading back to their club for assessment on minor problems. Arsenal and England were already without the injured Eberechi Eze.

It is far from ideal for Tuchel, who will be without two of his most important players when England play their final friendly before naming their 26-man squad for the World Cup. Rice is an automatic pick in midfield and Saka is first choice on the right wing.

The fitness situation around the Arsenal contingent means Tuchel’s experiment has not exactly gone to plan. The German wanted a maximum of 23 outfield players for the Japan friendly and had indicated that some individuals would be cut from the group after facing Uruguay. Now, though, there are few pointers about his plans for the summer.

Tomori, who made his first international appearance since November 2023, was always an outsider. Harry Maguire has kept his place after impressing against Uruguay and Ben White, who was booed on his first appearance since leaving the 2022 World Cup early, will be given another chance to impress. Burn, Konsa and Guéhi are the frontrunners in central defence.

It remains to be seen if Phil Foden features against Japan. The Manchester City attacker struggled as a No 10 against Uruguay and was forced off after a bad tackle from Ronald Araújo. There were fears that Foden would have to withdraw but he was not feeling too sore on Saturday.

One of Tuchel’s biggest calls will be whether to take a deputy for Kane. Dominic Solanke and Calvert-Lewin were ineffective in their auditions to be the backup No 9 against Uruguay.

Tuchel said he plans to make use of Fifa combating the heat at the World Cup with the introduction of mid-half water breaks by delivering tactical instructions to his players. “I think I like them,” the German said. “I can speak to my players. Get a little bit of quality time with my players and can encourage them or change something. Does it change the game? Yes, 100%. It’s almost in quarters.

“We asked for a water break [on Friday] but Uruguay denied it. They didn’t want us to have it. It gives us just a chance for interaction, for giving a bit of advice, for encouragement but also to the opponents. I think it’s necessary and me as a coach, I will make use of it.”