Marc Guehi has been left out of the England starting XI taking on Croatia in their World Cup opener this evening. The Manchester City star played in all but one of the Three Lions’ Euro 2024 games, sitting out of the win over Switzerland due to a suspension.
Guehi's Recent Form
The centre-half has gone from strength to strength since then, winning back-to-back FA Cup finals with Crystal Palace and Manchester City and has been widely expected to be a guaranteed starter in this summer’s tournament. But Thomas Tuchel has opted for the same centre-half pairing he used in the warm-up game against Costa Rica with John Stones and Ezri Konsa at the heart of defence.
Bench Warmers
Guehi joins the likes of Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka and Morgan Rogers on the bench. Tuchel is said to favour the physicality of Stones and Konsa with the former Palace star slightly smaller than his teammates.
Stones' Role
Stones has been a central figure in the England squad having been part of six squads at major international competitions, playing alongside Guehi at Euro 2024. But the 32-year-old struggled for minutes last season with his last start in the Premier League coming back in August. Various injury issues limited him to just 18 appearances in all competitions and while he was fit for City’s final nine games of the season he was left on the bench in six of those – including the FA Cup final victory over Chelsea.
Tuchel's Confidence
Despite fitness problems, Tuchel has not hidden his admiration for the former Everton youngster, suggesting at his squad selection press conference in May he would be an important player for him if he could prove his fitness. ‘He is ready. He is excited to come. I am a big believer in John, he is a world class player, an amazing character and a proven winner. He knows how to adapt to a winning culture, he knows how to adapt tactically on the field. ‘He is still on the highest level. We analysed a lot of training data because there is not a lot of proof the last half of the season but he has been available. We will reconnect with our principles and give him the chance to play in two friendly matches and I believe he will have a strong tournament for us.’
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