England Defender Keen To Learn From Japan Loss Ahead Of World Cup | OneFootball

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Marc Guehi has insisted that the England squad must be self-critical following their 1-0 defeat against Japan, viewing such scrutiny as a vital part of their World Cup preparations.

The Three Lions suffered a frustrating loss against Japan on Tuesday night as a 23rd-minute strike from Kaoru Mitoma decided the contest at Wembley.

Despite controlling 75 per cent of the possession against Japan, England struggled to find a breakthrough and only managed to register four shots on target from 19 attempts.

Guehi has enjoyed a meteoric rise in recent years and joined Manchester City in a £20m move from Crystal Palace in January, quickly establishing himself as a mainstay in the heart of the defence at the Etihad.

The 25-year-old, who wore the England captain’s armband in the absence of Harry Kane, saw a 13th-minute header blocked during a goalmouth scramble and has emerged as a natural leader within the international set-up.

The Manchester City defender explained that the players need to evaluate their own mistakes to ensure they are ready for the tournament.

The centre-back noted that while the result is a setback, facing high-level opposition now is better than discovering such weaknesses once the World Cup finals begin in North America.

The former Crystal Palace man suggested that the squad must not let one defeat overshadow a qualification campaign that has otherwise been very successful.

Speaking to the official England website following the final whistle, Guehi said: “We have to be critical of ourselves but again these are the tests that we need.

“It is important to have these games to see where we are at, but it is all about perspective, making sure we learn and we stick together.

“It is easy to look at this one game, especially after the campaign that we have had.

England are scheduled to face New Zealand on 6th June and Costa Rica on 10th June in final warm-up fixtures to refine their tactical approach before their World Cup opener against Croatia in Dallas on 17th June.

Now all eyes are on who Thomas Tuchel looks to include in his England squad, with a host of players keen to make the cut.

James Garner, who Tuchel dubbed underrated, will be keen to be on the plane, while the boss is looking to see Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Dominic Solanke push their respective cases in the coming weeks.