Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer was mightily impressed by Marc Guehi’s performance in England’s UEFA Nations League opener against the Republic of Ireland.
England claimed a comfortable 2-0 win over the Bhoys in Green, and Guehi delivered an assured performance at the heart of defence. The Crystal Palace centre-half won seven of his nine duels while completing a remarkable 84/92 passes (91% accuracy).
Guehi carried his outstanding form from the 2024 European Championship, in which he was one of the defenders of the tournament.
Guehi’s performance against Ireland earned him massive plaudits, with Shearer leaping to his praise on The Rest is Football podcast.
Shearer said (via Chronicle Live): “He looked good, didn’t he? I thought his passing was really good. You know when you’re fizzing it into the middle and having to get through and break the line.
“I thought some of his passing was superb. He didn’t have to defend too much, but then you’re on the ball and with possession, you need someone like that.”
Shearer must have had a tinge of regret in his throat when discussing the former Cobham academy graduate after the events of the summer transfer window.
Newcastle placed the 24-year-old centre-half atop their transfer shortlist, with manager Eddie Howe keen on bolstering his rearguard.
However, Crystal Palace refused to play ball. The Magpies lodged as much as four bids for the England international, going as high as £70 million, but the Eagles insisted he would not leave Selhurst Park.
Newcastle’s failure to land their man was another indictment of a shoddy transfer window that thoroughly underwhelmed fans. Despite identifying several exciting options in the market, they ended up signing players that do not move the needle.
It did not help that new Magpies sporting director Paul Mitchell tried to distance himself from the disappointing transfer window. The Englishman has come under fire for his ill-advised comments.
