Anthony Gordon stars but Marc Guehi suffers nightmare in England defeat
Anthony Gordon
Marc GuéhiEngland suffered a frustrating start to their UEFA Nations League campaign, falling to a 3-2 defeat against Spain at Wembley. Despite the disappointing result for Thomas Tuchel’s side, Barcelona winger Anthony Gordon emerged from the clash with his reputation significantly enhanced.
The hosts found themselves behind almost immediately when Manchester City defender Marc Guehi committed a disastrous error. Lamine Yamal took full advantage of the hesitation, stealing the ball deep in England territory and slotting past goalkeeper James Trafford.
Gordon leads the fightback
England responded well to the early setback, with Gordon leading the charge by netting a clinical equaliser. Harry Kane then completed the first-half turnaround, putting the Three Lions ahead before the interval.
Although Spain fought back in the second period to secure the victory, Gordon’s individual performance caught the eye of the visiting media. The former Newcastle man, who has faced scrutiny since his move to Catalonia, earned widespread praise across Spain.
Evaluating the display of Spain full-back Marc Pubill, Spanish newspaper AS wrote:
“At times, it was clear he’s more accustomed to playing centre-back than full-back, and he was outplayed by Barcelona’s Gordon, the star of the night at Wembley.”
Praise from the Spanish press
The Spanish outlet rated Gordon highly, awarding him a score of two out of three. He was joined in this bracket by teammates Jude Bellingham, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Elliot Anderson, and Bukayo Saka.
Marca offered a very similar assessment of the winger’s impact, adding Kane to the group of England players deserving of recognition. It represents a welcome shift for Gordon, who has previously endured heavy criticism from sections of the Iberian media.
A night to forget for Guehi
While Gordon enjoyed a productive evening, the same could not be said for his international teammate Guehi. The centre-back was heavily criticised for his part in Yamal’s opening goal after just 104 seconds.
In a scathing review of the opening goal, Spanish publication Marca wrote:
“The paranormal events include Spain’s first goal after a joke by Guehi,”
The publication branded the defender’s mistake a howler, handing him a zero-star rating. Only Spanish goalscorers Alex Baena and Mikel Oyarazabal received the maximum three stars, leaving Guehi as the only player on the pitch to receive the lowest possible mark.
AS was equally unforgiving of the City defender’s sluggishness, describing how Yamal anticipated his opponent’s next move to snatch possession. The Spanish teenager used his street smarts to pickpocket Guehi, leaving the defender with little choice but to let him score or risk a red card.
Though Guehi recovered his composure later in the match, his early blunder cast a significant shadow over his evening. It was a tough lesson for the Manchester City man, who struggled to shake off the impact of that opening gaffe.
What lies ahead
Ultimately, England should not be overly discouraged by their performance against the World Cup holders. The team showed great resilience to lead at the break, even if their second-half collapse ultimately cost them a positive result in London.
For Gordon, the performance offers a perfect platform to continue establishing himself as a key figure in Spanish football. Having faced criticism in his new home country previously, the Barcelona winger is steadily proving his doubters wrong.
