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- Man City’s Marc Guehi missed England training on Wednesday in a precautionary absence
- Guehi is expected to be fit for England’s FIFA World Cup quarter-final vs Norway
- The tie pits several Man City players against one another, with Haaland to lead Norway’s attack
Manchester City defender Marc Guehi’s absence from England training on Wednesday is precautionary in nature and the centre-back is expected to be fit for the upcoming FIFA World Cup quarter-final against Norway, as per a new report.
Guehi has been an important part of Thomas Tuchel‘s England defensive setup at the tournament in North America, with the City centre-back contributing to a backline that successfully navigated the group stage before defeating DR Congo in the Round of 16 to set up a quarter-final that carries an extraordinary subplot for supporters of the club.
England‘s meeting with Norway represents one of the most compelling fixtures imaginable from a Manchester City perspective, with multiple City players set to face one another on the grandest possible stage as the World Cup enters its most exciting stage.
Most prominently of all, defenders Guehi and former City man John Stones – who has departed the club as a free agent this summer -will be charged with nullifying one of the tournament’s most devastating individual performers in Erling Haaland, who has scored seven goals for Norway in reaching the last eight.
The concern over Guehi’s fitness ahead of such a significant match will therefore have prompted anxiety among England’s staff and supporters alike, with any weakening of the defensive structure at this stage of the tournament carrying consequences that could prove decisive in a fixture so finely poised between two evenly matched nations.
Report: Guehi’s absence from training precautionary, fit to face Norway
According to Sami Mokbel of BBC Sport, Wednesday’s training absence for Guehi is precautionary rather than a cause for serious concern, with the centre-back understood to be on course to be available for selection for the quarter-final against Norway.
The reassurance will provide significant relief to Tuchel, who has shown a consistent preference for Guehi’s ball-playing ability and positional intelligence as part of a central defensive partnership capable of operating high up the pitch in line with England’s aggressive defensive structure throughout the tournament.
Guehi’s availability is particularly important given the nature of the threat Norway present through Haaland, with the 25-year-old’s movement, physical presence and clinical finishing demanding a level of concentration and organisation from the opposing defence that can only be achieved with a settled and fully fit partnership at the back.
Whether the precautionary nature of Wednesday’s absence proves to be exactly that, or whether there is any lingering concern that emerges in training between now and the quarter-final, will become clearer in the hours ahead as England’s medical staff continue to assess Guehi’s condition.
What does the Norway vs England tie mean for Manchester City?
Beyond the immediate injury news, the prospect of a City-heavy England side facing a Norway team inspired by Haaland is one that newly-appointed manager Enzo Maresca and director of football Hugo Viana will be watching with considerable interest from afar.
City’s summer rebuild continues in the background regardless of the tournament’s results, but the longer England and Norway both progress, the further Maresca’s squad members remain unavailable for pre-season preparations at the Etihad Stadium – a logistical consideration that adds a further layer of complexity to an already demanding summer schedule.
For Guehi specifically, a quarter-final appearance against Norway would represent another significant marker in what has been a breakthrough tournament, with the City centre-back’s form and fitness over the coming days set to carry implications both for England’s hopes of progressing deeper into the competition and for his standing within Maresca’s plans ahead of the 2026-27 season.
Whether England’s City contingent can keep Haaland quiet and advance to the semi-finals remains to be seen – but Wednesday’s training update at least ensures that Guehi will be available to play his part in what promises to be one of the most compelling matches of the entire tournament.
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Source: Cityxtra.co.uk
