England's Defensive Plans Hit by Guehi Injury
Crystal Palace and England have been dealt a significant blow as defender Marc Guehi is expected to miss the upcoming international fixtures due to a serious foot injury. The centre-back, who captains the Eagles, sustained the problem during the latter stages of his team's 3-1 victory against AZ Alkmaar in the Conference League on Thursday.
‘Can’t Even Walk’: Glasner Reveals Extent of Damage
Palace manager Oliver Glasner delivered the concerning update during his press conference ahead of Sunday's goalless draw with Brighton. Guehi suffered a heavy bone bruise that has left him in considerable pain and reliant on crutches. "Overnight he couldn't sleep, it was so painful," Glasner revealed to Sky Sports. "The next day we assessed him and it was a heavy bone bruise. He was walking on crutches the last two days and couldn't even step on his foot."
The manager confirmed that while fortunately nothing is broken, the injury is severe enough that Guehi "can't even walk" at present. The timeline for recovery suggests a return to training could be possible within 10-14 days, but this comes too late for the imminent England camp.
International Consequences for Qualified England
This development represents a major setback for England manager Thomas Tuchel, with Guehi now likely to be absent from the squad for their final two World Cup qualifying matches. The defender was named in the initial squad announcement on Friday but will almost certainly miss the opportunity to add to his 26 senior caps.
England, having already secured their place at next summer's World Cup by topping their group, are scheduled to face Serbia at Wembley on Thursday before travelling to Tirana to play Albania next Sunday. While the results are less critical given their qualification status, the absence denies Guehi valuable international experience and Tuchel a chance to assess one of his defensive options ahead of the tournament.
