England have received assurances that the dry pitch in Manaus is suitable for their first World Cup match against Italy tonight.

A groundsman ap-peared to be spraying a green substance onto the dry brown patches that scarred the pitch at the Arena Amazonia yesterday to make it look more ordinary.

International players’ union FIFPro argued FIFA was putting players’ safety at risk by allowing them to play on such a pitch, but England are relaxed about the whole situation.

PA Sport understands the England management received a report on the Manaus pitch from the Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI).

The STRI said that, while the pitch may not look aesthetically pleasing, it thinks the surface will play fine when England face Italy in their first Group D match.

For that reason, England scrapped their plan to send a member of the backroom staff to have a look at the pitch.

FIFA did not respond to questions about dying the grass, but it did admit it had conducted “treatment” on the surface.

England striker Wayne Rooney is not fazed about the prospect of playing on such a dry pitch.

“We’re not sure, but I think at the end of the day it’s the same for ourselves and Italy so we’ll both have to deal with that,” he said.