Guehi Praises 'Fantastic' Southgate As England Prepares For Slovakia Clash

Marc Guehi has expressed that England head coach Gareth Southgate enjoys the full support of his team as they gear up for their last-16 match against Slovakia. The Three Lions ended their Group C journey with a goalless draw against Slovenia in Cologne, securing the top spot with five points, ahead of Denmark.

The final whistle in Cologne was met with boos from travelling England fans, much of it directed at Southgate. Despite this, Guehi, who has started every game in Germany so far, has been a standout performer for England. He continues to build a strong partnership with John Stones.

"He has been fantastic for England. If you look at his record, it speaks for itself," said 23-year-old Guehi about the Three Lions boss. "Everyone is behind the manager and we have a really close tight-knit group just focused on the next group."

Guehi added, "Everyone appreciates him, especially me. He gave me my debut for England and he's shown so much confidence in me. I am really grateful and I'm sure the rest of the team is as well."

England will face Slovakia in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday for a place in the #EURO2024 quarter-finals.

England will play Slovakia in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday for a place in the #EURO2024 quarter-finals.

pic.twitter.com/NC7mIYFmY6

— England (@England) June 26, 2024

Tough Competition Ahead

A surprise victory by Georgia over Portugal meant that England avoided facing the Netherlands in the knockout stages. This placed them on a more favourable side of the draw. Spain, Germany, Portugal, France, and Belgium are all in the other half of the draw.

This development has heightened expectations for England to end their 58-year wait for an international honour. However, Crystal Palace defender Guehi believes there are no easy games at this stage of the competition.

"Everyone has seen in this competition that I don't think there is a favourable side of the draw," he said. "Every opponent is tough to play against."

Maintaining Focus

Guehi emphasised the importance of staying calm and focused. "We put pressure on ourselves, but it's a very calm and focused environment," he stated. "We just need to continue focusing on one thing at a time."

The team remains determined as they prepare to face Slovakia with hopes of advancing further in EURO 2024.