England have been dealt another defensive setback ahead of their 2026 FIFA World Cup quarterfinal against Norway, with centre-back Marc Guehi emerging as a major doubt. The Crystal Palace defender suffered a hamstring strain during England's win over Mexico in the Round of 16 and missed the team's final training session in Kansas City, casting doubt over his availability for Saturday's clash at Arrowhead Stadium.
Guehi's Injury Compounds Defensive Crisis
The latest concern comes just hours after Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah was handed a two-match suspension following his red card in England's dramatic victory over Mexico. With Guehi now struggling to recover, head coach Thomas Tuchel faces a reshuffled backline against a dangerous Norwegian attack led by Erling Haaland.
According to Sky Sports, Guehi's absence from England's final training session in Kansas City has further cast doubt over his fitness for the last-eight encounter. Hamstring injuries are notoriously difficult to manage during major tournaments because of the limited recovery time between matches, leaving England's medical staff with a difficult decision over whether to risk the defender.
Dan Burn Emerges as Replacement Option
With Guehi facing a race against time, Newcastle United defender Dan Burn is now in contention to partner the remaining centre-backs against Norway. The possible reshuffle presents a fresh headache for Tuchel, whose side will be tasked with containing a dangerous Norwegian attack.
England face Norway on Saturday at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, with a place in the World Cup semifinals at stake, per Al Jazeera. The Three Lions will hope Guehi recovers in time, but a final decision on his fitness is expected to be made shortly before kick-off.
Supercomputer Predicts Spain vs Belgium
Legit.ng previously reported that Opta's supercomputer predicted the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarter-final fixture between Spain and Belgium. The supercomputer ran 25,000 pre-game simulations during which Spain came out winners in more than 58%, with Belgium having less than 20%.
