England manager Thomas Tuchel once again ripped into full-back Djed Spence from the touchline as the Three Lions laboured to victory against DR Congo.

The German has repeatedly berated the full-back throughout the tournament, laying into him in viral clips from training and against Ghana in the group stages.

England booked a last-16 clash against Mexico thanks to two late goals from Harry Kane, who is now on five goals for the tournament.

But it had taken repeated shouts from Tuchel, and multiple substitutions, to wake his side up after they went down 1-0 just seven minutes in to Congo winger Brian Cipenga’s goal.

At one juncture, when Spence took a throw and sent it backwards, pitchside mics betrayed Tuchel shouting: ‘Djed! There [forward] is one on one! Play up front!’

The 25-year-old appeared to have a dismissive reaction, shrugging his shoulders and holding out his hands as he looked back half-heartedly and ambled away.

Thomas Tuchel laid into Djed Spence on the touchline again for a throw he didn’t like

The Tottenham left-back was filling in on the opposite side of the defence after injuries to Reece James, Jarell Quansah, and Tino Livramento, who was sent home before the tournament.

Spence struggled throughout the match and appeared particularly troubled by the direct dribbling of Cipenga.

He and his nearest centre-back, Ezri Konsa, never looked comfortable and England were fortunate to go into the break only 1-0 down after Newcastle forward Yoane Wissa hit the post.

When Spence lost the ball in the final third later in the match, Tuchel immediately called for Eberechi Eze in a move which suggested he had lost patience with Spence.

In mitigation, Spence’s preparation for the World Cup was less than ideal as he sustained a serious fratcure to his jaw while playing against Chelsea in May.

He has been playing with a face mask and said: ‘It’s a little bit uncomfortable, but it is what it is.

‘It’s something I will have to get used to. It’ll be three months until it’s fully healed, so it’s a long time.’

England are optimistic that James and Quansah will be available for England’s clash against Mexico in the early hours of Monday morning at the Estadio Azteca.

Spence struggled throughout the match and was substituted off in the second half

Chelsea captain James, who is England’s first-choice right-back, has a hamstring injury. Quansah, who plays for German club Bayer Leverkusen, came in to replace him against Panama but twisted his ankle in that match.

‘They are getting close,’ Tuchel said of their expected return. ‘They will be available very soon.’

England’s sudden lack of options at right-back has brought into focus the exclusion of Real Madrid’s marauding right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Tuchel has made it explicit before that he wants the former Liverpool star to improve his defending. Alexander-Arnold has remained an attack-minded defender and as such is not in Tuchel’s plans.

But Spence has been the target of Tuchel’s frustrations throughout the World Cup. One training trip where he gave him a rollicking went viral.

‘Djed, Djed, Djed wake up! Wake up!’ Tuchel shouted as Spence hesitated in a passing drill.

Spence later told talkSPORT: ‘It’s normal. He’s a great manager. He wants the best from his players.

‘He demands high standards and for this tournament, we need to be ready, we need to be on it.

Tuchel is a very vocal manager on the touchline and gives fiery commands to his players

‘Every session needs to be of the highest quality. That’s what he demands. It’s good.

‘I wouldn’t be the only one he says it too. It’s part of the game.

‘I think he’s a great manager, he’s a great guy. Very detailed in what he wants to do. I’ve got great respect for him.

‘It’s like what he always says, we’re building a family, we’ve built a brotherhood within the team, everyone has one dream, one brain.

‘I think everyone is on the same path. We can do special things. I think he’s built that environment with this squad.’

Wayne Rooney has suggested that Tuchel may regret not calling up Kyle Walker.

The 36-year-old plays for Burnley, who got relegated to the Championship last season, and has lost his trademark pace, but has immense experiecne with 96 caps.

‘The minute Tino Livramento got injured, Thomas Tuchel should have been on the phone to Kyle Walker,’ Rooney said on the BBC.

‘Walker is still more than good enough and more than capable to play in this England team.

‘That could really cost us.’