Belgium sweat on Lukaku injury and promise major changes against England

Belgium are sweating on the extent of an ankle ligament injury Romelu Lukaku sustained in their win over Tunisia on Saturday and are set to make major changes for their final group game against England.

Lukaku was forced off in the 59th minute having scored twice in a 5-2 victory which has guaranteed Belgium’s place in the last 16. Roberto Martínez said Eden Hazard and Dries Mertens were also hurt, picking up calf and ankle injuries respectively. Hazard described his as minor.

Belgium’s manger said Lukaku had damaged an “external ankle ligament”. Martínez added: “It was a knock that he had late in the first half and he tried to play through it and he couldn’t. He’s going to be assessed and then we’ll find out a bit more in 48 hours.”

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AS IT UNFOLDED: Belgium v Tunisia

Lukaku’s goals made him the World Cup’s joint-leading scoring on four with Cristiano Ronaldo.

Martínez will rotate his squad for Thursday’s game in Kaliningrad. Asked whether he would change the team against England he said: “The answer is very clear. 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 XI. 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. We need to assess the three injury concerns. We’ll assess them and make decisions based on that but there will be major changes against England.”

Hazard, who opened the scoring with a penalty, said: “I felt in the first half something in my calf but not something big so I think tomorrow it’s going to be OK.”