Chris Richards and Miles Robinson injuries deplete USMNT roster.

MARIETTA, Ga. — Miles Robinson will be sidelined for the United States’ friendly matches against Belgium and Portugal due to a groin injury, while Chris Richards is expected to miss both games because of a knee issue, leaving the American central defense with limited choices in the final two fixtures before coach Mauricio Pochettino reveals his World Cup squad.

Tim Ream, Mark McKenzie, and Auston Trusty are the sole available central defenders for Saturday’s encounter with Belgium.

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Outside back Joe Scally and defensive midfielder Tanner Tessmann are also considered options in central defense, Pochettino mentioned on Friday. The coach has employed a three-central defender setup since September.

Robinson sustained his groin injury during training on Tuesday, as reported by Pochettino.

Richards participated until the 75th minute in Crystal Palace’s Europa Conference League match against AEK Larnaca on March 19. He will definitely be unavailable for Saturday and is unlikely to be ready for Tuesday.

“The club granted permission for him to come to America, and he reported some issues with his knee,” Pochettino stated. “After assessing him, he was able to train part of the session on Tuesday, but he could not complete Wednesday’s training and now he feels discomfort in his knee.

“We hope it is nothing serious, but he is out for tomorrow, and I don’t believe he will be fit for Tuesday.”

Pochettino expressed that managing the current adjustments due to injuries could be advantageous for the team during the World Cup.

“We need to explore all the options available to us because circumstances can change,” he noted.