In Focus: Soaring Eagle Guehi ready to make England bow

Marc Guehi's impressive campaign could continue tomorrow night with an England debut against Switzerland.

The 21-year-old earned his first call-up on the back of numerous outstanding displays for Crystal Palace this season — and he could be the answer to a problem position for Gareth Southgate.

So how has the centre-half gone from the Championship to international level in less than 12 months?

England call-up

Southgate’s original squad saw Guehi as the only new face — and it was just reward for his excellent performances this term.

As well as shining for Palace, the defender’s role in the Under-17s World Cup win back in 2017 meant an eventual Three Lions call was inevitable.

"Anybody around the squad now is of course in contention for the World Cup," Southgate said.

"With Marc, he’s had a really consistent season. We’ve been very impressed with him on and off the ball, in the biggest games he’s been very calm.

"We know a lot about him through our development teams. He’s a junior World Cup winner.

"There are some centre-halves that are pushing and were very close, but we’ve added Marc and Ben White this time and we think it’s a good opportunity to see two slightly younger players and see how they cope with being with us."

Form at Palace

There was not a lot of fanfare when Palace snapped up Guehi, who had spent the previous 18 months on loan in the Championship with Swansea.

But he has quickly shown himself to be a top-class defender, playing 28 of the Eagles’ 29 Premier League games this term.

Patrick Vieira has even handed him the captaincy on two occasions and has been mightily impressed with his centre-half.

Vieira said: "To have the call was the target, that was his ambition. We are really pleased for him. As a football club we are proud, of course.

"We see Marc coming and going game after game, and being stronger — and being captain in the last couple of games, taking responsibility.

"He is doing really well and that call will help him to grow as a player and believe more in himself.

"We are really happy for what he has been doing for the football club."

Centre-back options

While England have an embarrassment of riches in some positions, the heart of their defence is not one of those areas.

Harry Maguire and John Stones have both been favourites of Southgate over the past few seasons, yet neither are in great form for their respective clubs.

Tyrone Mings and Conor Coady are both regulars in squads without ever looking good enough for the top level of international football.

That leaves opportunities for the likes of White, Guehi and maybe even AC Milan’s Fikayo Tomori.

Everything Guehi has done so far suggests he is ready to challenge to make a spot in Southgate's starting XI his own.

Fresh-faced squad

One of the pillars of Southgate’s time in charge has been to give younger players a chance — and if they take it, the spot is theirs.

Bukayo Saka is the prime example, having only made five senior appearances prior to starting three times at Euro 2020.

And skipper Harry Kane has already noted the impression Guehi, as well as late call-ups Kyle Walker-Peters and Tyrick Mitchell, have made.

"It is great to have new faces in the squad, young faces, I feel like I am getting older and older by the day,” said Kane. “It is great to see them. 

"I obviously know Kyle from when he was at Spurs, he is a great lad, he works really hard and he has done really well at Southampton.

"Marc and Tyrick have come in and settled in well and it is really good for the squad. It is good to have young players coming through and we are excited to see them over the next week or so."

Following their meeting with the Swiss, the Three Lions take on Ivory Coast at Wembley on Tuesday night.

Guehi will be optimistic of featuring in one if not both of those encounters.

And with less than eight months to go until Qatar, the Palace man could yet prove to be the jewel in Southgate's crown.