England Squad Faces Setbacks as Guehi, Pope, and Gordon Withdraw

Marc Guehi has been withdrawn from the England squad, while Anthony Gordon and Nick Pope will also miss the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania. The news comes as England prepares for two crucial matches after securing qualification as group winners.

Guehi, a central defender for Crystal Palace, sustained a foot injury during the closing moments of Thursday’s 3-1 victory against AZ Alkmaar in the UEFA Conference League. Manager Oliver Glasner confirmed the injury during an interview with Sky Sports News. “Marc was fouled in the last minute against Alkmaar. It was a knock on his foot, a bone bruise,” he explained.

Glasner further noted the severity of Guehi’s condition, stating, “He can’t even walk at the moment. The last two days he is on crutches. I don’t know how this develops over the next couple of days. But at the moment, it doesn’t look good. It looks like he can’t play for England as well.”

In addition to Guehi’s injury, Newcastle United’s Anthony Gordon is sidelined due to a hip issue. Gordon missed the team’s 3-1 defeat at Brentford and will not participate in the upcoming matches. Manager Eddie Howe commented on Gordon’s situation, indicating it is a minor injury but significant enough to exclude him from the national team.

Goalkeeper Nick Pope will also be unavailable after suffering a concussion during the match against Brentford. Howe confirmed that Pope was substituted as a precautionary measure when the medical staff identified the concussion. “As soon as we were made aware of that, he was withdrawn. He won’t go with England,” Howe stated.

With these withdrawals, England’s squad faces a reshuffle as they prepare to face Serbia at Wembley on October 12, 2023, followed by a match against Albania in Tirana on October 15, 2023. The absence of key players like Guehi, Gordon, and Pope presents a challenge for manager Gareth Southgate as he looks to maintain the team’s momentum heading into the qualifiers.

The team remains focused on securing strong performances despite these setbacks, with hopes of further solidifying their position ahead of the World Cup.