--- source: thedugout.football generated: 2026-06-17T16:58:39.362Z last_updated: 2026-06-17T11:53:07+00:00 data_provider: API-Football canonical: https://thedugout.football/clubs/manchester-city/news/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubWFuY2hlc3RlcmV2ZW5pbmduZXdzLmNvLnVrL3Nwb3J0L2Zvb3RiYWxsL2Zvb3RiYWxsLW5ld3Mvc3RvbmVzLWd1ZWhpLWVuZ2xhbmQtdGVhbS1jcm9hdGlhLTM0MTM2NDYw --- # Ex-Man City ace John Stones to get the nod over Marc Guehi in England vs Croatia - **Source:** - **Published:** 17 Jun - **Club:** Manchester City - **Original URL:** https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/stones-guehi-england-team-croatia-34136460 It is the decision that is set to be the major surprise when England kick off their World Cup campaign: John Stones in, Marc Guehi out. The future of Manchester City's defence has been pretty much a first choice for three years with the Three Lions, but against Croatia in Dallas on Wednesday night, is set to be on the bench with Stones, leaving the Etihad this summer on a free transfer after a decade of success, getting the nod. On the surface it sounds like a strange call and you'd be forgiven for thinking that Tuchel is acting on reputation. But looking at both and utilising Opta statistics and Machine Football's data model, a different picture emerges, with no sentimentality to be found. Instead, it is a tactical decision based on Tuchel's twin wants for his England lineup: Set piece supremacy and high pressure on opponents in their own half. Marc Guehi v John Stones -Stats via Opta (Numbers at Manchester City only during 2025-26 season) The England boss is focused on maximising England's performance at dead-ball situations at the World Cup, and with that being treated as a priority, one statistic stands out when it comes to Stones vs Guehi. According to Machine Football, Stones, now 32, ranks in the top 1% GLOBALLY for heading ability. That's not just among defenders or Premier League centre-backs, but across all players in their database across the planet. Guehi meanwhile is closer to the average, sitting in the 48th percentile for defensive headers among centre-backs. That's a mammoth difference, particularly when Stones stands just two inches taller than his rival. It is an area where the eye test criminally underestimates Stones, potentially due to his influence with the ball at his feet. But in a high-pressing team, which is what Tuchel is demanding England be at the World Cup, despite the heat, if England are looking to force opponents into going long and also emphasising the need to dominate at set pieces, then Stones is a big winner in that regard. In attack, England want to carry threat from set-pieces. They'll have Declan Rice taking them from one side and Bukayo Saka the other. The Arsenal pair rank in the top 5% and top 2% globally for their crossing ability according to Machine Football's data. Which leaves the question, with Harry Maguire left out of the squad, of who they will be targeting to attack their deliveries. Stones is a very different proposition to Guehi - and Tuchel knows it. It's no secret that Guehi possesses tremendous pace than the man whom he has succeeded at club level. His all-round game, his ability to be hands on and aggressive with opponents in all parts of the pitch and his ability on the ball would seemingly make him the more complete centre-back. Guehi ranks in the top 5% globally for creativity and passing accuracy, exceptional numbers for a defender. He also scores higher than Stones for tackling, ball recoveries and defensive actions. That's something you would expect given Stones is much more stand offish in open play, looking to utilise exemplary positioning to nullify threats before they appear. In many ways, Guehi is the successor to Stones in the club game - an innately expansive centre-back capable of influencing the game across the pitch, and his estimated transfer value in the model of £82m (around 10 times Stones' £8.4m value) reflects this along with his age, availability and long-term potential. And certainly, as showed at the Etihad in the past five months, across a league campaign, Guehi is the better option, particularly when Stones has suffered from fitness issues. But in a knockout tournament, where Stones is apparently back to full fitness, Tuchel's choice is to pick a team to win in the here and now - and seemingly that means Stones alongside Konsa, whom Tuchel absolutely loves for his pace and tenacity. As mentioned above, the major concern with Stones is his availability and which, when we're talking about the world's best defenders, sees him overlooked. Across the last season, Stones made just nine league appearances compared to Guehi's 35 (for both City and Crystal Palace). The prospect of him breaking down is a worry in a tournament where the Three Lions must play seven games in a month and have already lost Tino Livramento. But Tuchel and his staff will know this better than anyone, watching him every day in training, how ready Stones is. If he's willing to start Stones, it's because England's coaching staff believe he can do the job they're demanding. Is Marc Guehi a better defender than John Stones right now? City fans who have seen him up close since January may well say yes. But that's not necessarily the question that Tuchel - whose squad selection was somewhat controversial - is trying to answer. England have elite set-piece takers in Rice, Rashford, and Bukayo Saka. As the fourth-best side in the world according to FIFA, England can expect to dominate possession and territory - which means set pieces in an attacking sense, and defensive aerial duels become inevitable. For both, heading ability matters. That's why Stones is likely to start against Croatia. Not out of sentiment, not because of reputation - but because Tuchel believes he, not Guehi, is the right man for the job.