The Marc Guehi injury has handed Thomas Tuchel his first major fitness blow of the November international break, with the Manchester City defender withdrawing from England’s Nations League squad and Newcastle United’s Dan Burn called up in his place.
The Football Association confirmed the change on Monday morning, just hours after the squad had gathered at Tottenham’s training ground. Guehi, 26, has been ruled out of both of England’s fixtures this week, and he will now stay with City while the rest of Tuchel’s group prepare for Croatia and Spain.
It is a significant setback for the head coach. Guehi has been one of Tuchel’s most trusted centre-backs since the German took charge, and losing him days before a double-header that will decide England’s place in the Nations League quarter-finals is the last thing the camp needed.
How the Marc Guehi injury happened at the City Ground
The problem surfaced on Saturday, when Guehi was forced off at half-time of Nottingham Forest’s 3-1 win over Manchester City. City manager Enzo Maresca revealed afterwards that the defender had asked to be substituted himself, and the BBC reported on Sunday that he was undergoing a scan to establish the extent of the damage.
The news that followed was the worst possible outcome for England. The hip injury has not settled in time, and the FA announced on Monday that Guehi would play no part against Croatia or Spain. City confirmed he will remain with the club for treatment, with domestic football resuming against Fulham on Saturday 21 November.
Guehi’s withdrawal comes after a difficult weekend for City’s England contingent. The champions were beaten at the City Ground, and the defender’s absence now leaves Tuchel short at the heart of his defence for two of the toughest assignments of the Nations League campaign.
Dan Burn’s recall: the 34-year-old’s second chance
Burn’s call-up is a reward for a remarkable turnaround. The 34-year-old Newcastle defender has 11 caps and was one of England’s standout performers at the World Cup in July, but he missed the previous international break in September with an ankle injury and looked to have slipped down the pecking order.
Instead, he was the first name Tuchel turned to when Guehi pulled out. Burn reported to Tottenham’s training base on Monday morning, joining Newcastle team-mate Lewis Hall in the squad. His presence gives England a left-footed, aerially dominant option at the back, and his experience of major tournaments could prove valuable in Madrid on Sunday.
Burn’s return also underlines how thin England’s defensive options have become. With Guehi out, the remaining centre-backs in the squad are Jarrad Branthwaite, Ezri Konsa and Jarrell Quansah, alongside full-backs Trent Alexander-Arnold, Djed Spence and Ben White.
What the Marc Guehi injury means for Tuchel’s Nations League plans
England sit second in Nations League Group A3, with three wins from their opening four matches and only a defeat to Spain on their record. A point against Croatia at Wembley on Thursday night will be enough to seal a place in the quarter-finals, before the trip to face the world champions in Madrid on Sunday.
Tuchel’s squad was already missing some big names before Guehi’s withdrawal. Cole Palmer was left out of the original 25-man group, alongside Phil Foden and Kobbie Mainoo, so the head coach is now working without three of his most creative players and his most trusted defender.
There is at least one landmark to look forward to in the camp. Captain Harry Kane equalled Peter Shilton’s record of 125 England caps last month and is set to break it against Croatia on Thursday, giving Wembley a moment to celebrate even as Tuchel reshuffles his back line.
For Guehi, the focus now switches to recovery. City will hope the hip problem is a short-term issue rather than the start of a longer absence, with a packed December schedule on the horizon. For Burn, it is a chance he thought might have passed him by — and a reminder that in international football, the phone can ring at any moment. For more on the week ahead, check today’s predictions.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) — collage by SportsBuddy
