Gareth Southgate Provides Injury Updates On John Stones And Marc Guehi Ahead Of Euro 2024

Gareth Southgate Provides Injury Updates On John Stones And Marc Guehi Ahead Of Euro 2024

England manager Gareth Southgate played down concerns over injuries to two of his key defenders following the Three Lions’ disappointing 1-0 loss to Iceland in their final Euro 2024 warm-up friendly.

Four days after their 3-0 victory over Bosnia-Herzegovina at St James’ Park, where their performance left much to be desired, Southgate’s team fell short once again when Iceland visited the English capital.

Following their memorable exit from Euro 2016 at the hands of the tiny Nordic nation, England had avenged that loss with two wins over Iceland in the 2020-21 Nations League, including a 4-0 thrashing at Wembley.

However, on Friday evening, England’s attackers were wasteful and their defense was lacking, as Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson scored the only goal of the game in the 12th minute.

In addition to the humiliating scoreline, England’s woes were compounded by injuries to their defenders: John Stones was substituted off and Marc Guehi suffered a blow to the head.

The former, who also faced injury setbacks during the domestic campaign, twisted his ankle within the first 40 seconds of the match, experiencing the full impact of an Icelandic player on his leg.

Stones persevered until halftime but was substituted for the second half by Ezri Konsa. Meanwhile, Guehi initially partnered with the Manchester City player but later endured a powerful shot to the head.

The Crystal Palace defender received on-field treatment and was able to continue. However, Southgate confirmed after the match that both players have avoided any serious injuries.

“Considering John’s importance to us, we decided at halftime not to take any risks,” stated the England manager. “Marc is perfectly fine.”

Consequently, both defenders are expected to receive clearance to start for the Three Lions in their opening Euro 2024 match against Serbia on June 16, likely forming Southgate’s central defensive pairing with Harry Maguire absent.

How alarming are England’s defensive concerns ahead of Euro 2024?

Despite any previous criticism and ridicule he may have faced while playing for Manchester United, there’s no denying the importance of the 31-year-old Maguire to England’s team; he rarely makes mistakes when representing his country.

Without Maguire in the lineup against Iceland, England lacked their primary threat in aerial situations and defending their own box. They were arguably fortunate to only lose 1-0 on Friday.

Questions arose about Stones’s role in Thorsteinsson’s goal. The Manchester City defender possibly could have done more to prevent the Iceland striker from cutting inside and taking a shot. However, his ankle injury may have impacted his performance.

England’s full-back situation, especially on the left, has been a topic of discussion. However, Southgate faces similar challenges in central defense. Stones’s fitness is unreliable, and Lewis Dunk missed the Iceland game due to injury.

Moreover, two potential replacements in central defense, Konsa and Joe Gomez, have spent much of the Premier League season playing in wider positions. Only time will tell if leaving out the inexperienced but in-form Jarrad Branthwaite was the right decision.