Guehi and Stones set to start for England in World Cup quarter-final

July 11, 2026 No Comments

Guehi and Stones set to start for England in World Cup quarter-finalImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Marc Guehi and John Stones last started together in England’s World Cup warm-up against New Zealand in JuneBySami Mokbel

Senior football correspondent at Miami Stadium

11 July 2026, 19:15 BST

Updated 12 minutes ago

Marc Guehi has won his fitness race and is expected to start England’s World Cup quarter-final against Norway alongside the recalled John Stones in central defence.

Manchester City defender Guehi suffered a minor hamstring strain in the win over Mexico and has missed training sessions this week.

But he is set to be cleared to continue in the heart of England’s defence.

He is expected to be playing alongside Stones in defence, who is set to be recalled into the starting XI for the first time since the opening game against Croatia.

Ezri Konsa is set to be moved from centre-back to right-back.

Declan Rice is fit to start despite a sickness bug that has hampered his involvement in the preparations for the game, while Noni Madueke is expected to play ahead of Bukayo Saka in another change to the XI.

Reece James, who has trained this week after recovering from a hamstring injury, is expected to be on the bench alongside fellow full-back Djed Spence.

The selection of Stones and Guehi means it is an all-Manchester City central defence from last season to take on their club team-mate Erling Haaland, who has scored seven goals at the World Cup, one more than Harry Kane. Stones left City upon the expiry of his contract at the start of this month.

Stones, 32, has been a substitute in all England’s matches since Croatia. However, he played a key role against Mexico, coming on for Saka after 57 minutes following Jarell Quansah’s red card.

While the reasons for the expected choice of Madueke are not known, Saka has been managed through the tournament because of an Achilles tendinitis issue which he has been carrying since March.

This week the Arsenal winger mentioned he would have loved to have arrived at the tournament 100% fit but that he had been managed “in the best way possible” and was feeling “great and ready to go”.

Expected England team: Pickford, Konsa, Guehi, Stones, O’Reilly, Anderson, Rice, Madueke, Gordon, Bellingham, Kane.