DJED SPENCE PLAYS ON AT WORLD CUP WITH BROKEN JAW

England defender Djed Spence sustained a broken jaw after being struck by Chelsea forward Liam Delap's elbow during Tottenham Hotspur's penultimate Premier League match of the season. Delap looked directly at Spence before spinning and throwing out his left arm, catching the full-back in the closing stages of the game. Spurs lost that match 2-1, meaning they needed at least a draw against Everton in their final fixture to avoid relegation. Spence played on until the final whistle despite the injury.

Spence wore a protective jaw brace as Tottenham beat Everton 1-0 to secure their top-flight status, and again during England's warm-up friendly against New Zealand in Tampa, which England won 1-0. He set up the goal in that match with a cross for Harry Kane. Spence is now with the England squad in the United States ahead of a warm-up fixture against Costa Rica in Orlando and the opening World Cup group match against Croatia in Dallas. He has confirmed he will wear the brace for the full duration of the tournament, with the jaw expected to take three months to heal fully.

England's involvement in the World Cup means Spence faces an extended period managing the injury in competitive matches. He acknowledged the brace causes discomfort but said the situation was straightforward given he plays with his feet. Delap was not sent off at the time of the incident, a fact Spence noted. The fixture against Costa Rica provides Spence with a further opportunity to feature before the group stage begins.