Road to Recovery

Germany vs. Serbia

Injury front:  Germany's Bastian Schweinsteiger missed training earlier this week with a cold and is doubtful. If he can't play, coach Joachim Loew will have to reshuffle his midfield as he doesn't have another holding midfielder who can replace Schweinsteiger.

Suspension watch: Forward Cacau and midfielder Mesut Oezil earned yellow cards in Germany's previous match. If either one receives another against Serbia, he will be suspended for his country's final game of the group stage. 

Defender Aleksandar Lukovic picked up two yellow cards in Serbia's previous match, ruling him out for this game. His place will be taken by Neven Subotic.

Also, midfielder Zdravko Kuzmanovic and forward Nikola Zigic will miss Serbia's final match if they earn yellow cards against Germany.

Serbia can't afford to lose Zigic for their last game, as the tall striker is his country's best scoring threat up front, and he holds the ball well up for his striker partners.

Slovenia vs. United States

Injury front: Slovenia has no injury concerns.

American goalkeeper Tim Howard will start despite suffering bruised ribs in a collision with England's Emile Heskey in a 1-1 draw last Saturday. 

Suspension watch: Midfielders Aleksandar Radosavljevic and Andrej Komac earned yellow card in Slovenia's previous match. If either one receives another against the U.S., they will be suspended for their country's final game of the group stage.

Defenders Steve Cherundolo and Jay DeMerit, and forward Robbie Findley are in a similar predicament for the U.S. 

Cherundolo and DeMerit are both key defenders for the U.S., and the back line would be sufficiently weakened if they were absent for the U.S.'s last game of the first round.

England vs. Algeria

Injury front: Midfielder Gareth Barry will start for England, having recovered from ligament damage to his ankle suffered six weeks ago. Jamie Carragher is expected to start in place for injured defender Ledley King.

Algeria goalkeeper Faouzi Chaouchi might miss out after he sprained his left knee on Tuesday.

Suspension watch: Captain Steven Gerrard and fellow midfielder James Milner, and defender Jamie Carragher earned yellow cards in England's previous match. If any one of them receives another against Algeria, they will be suspended for their country's final game of the group stage. 

Striker Abdelkader Ghezzal was sent off after picking up to yellow cards against Slovenia, which means he is ruled out for this game. If midfielder Hassan Yebda is cautioned against England, he will be suspended for Algeria's last game of the group stage.

Gerrard is not only England's captain, but its best player. He's the midfield general who commands the troops and leads the charge. The Three Lions wouldn't be the same without him