STAND-IN England captain Marc Guehi called for perspective after Tuesday’s 1-0 World Cup warm-up defeat to Japan.

A much-changed side suffered a first-ever loss to an Asian team as Brighton winger Kauro Mitoma’s first-half goal was enough for the excellent visitors at Wembley.

The result — and more so the performance — will have left boss Thomas Tuchel with more questions than answers as his men laboured without injured big-hitters Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice.

Manchester City defender Guehi said: “We can’t sugarcoat it. It’s always disappointing.

“You want to be winning those games, but the most important [thing] is going to the World Cup and being ready for that.

“I think we’ve shown that in previous years, where maybe the last few games before the tournament haven’t been the best, but we’ve been there showing what we’re ready to do.

“It’s important we stay calm, we have each other’s backs, stick together in these moments, because it’s obviously not easy.

“But like I said, perspective, that’s one for me.”

While other players fluffed their audition to cement a place in Tuchel’s World Cup squad, Guehi’s spot seems certain after he was captain in Kane’s absence.

“It was unexpected first and foremost, I didn’t realise until pre-match,” the centre-half said. “That is when he told me.

“I expected it to be Pickers (Jordan Pickford), because why wouldn’t it be?

“It’s such a blessing, I am truly grateful. It’s not something I have ever thought about so it is really special for me.

“I’m not someone who looks too much at achievements, I just wanted to try and do the best for my teammates and the country, of course and just play well.

“I’m sure you know, when time passes I look back on it, it will truly be something amazing.”

Meanwhile Tuchel admitted today that he will be watching matches through his fingers for the rest of the season after England’s experimental March meet up made him more certain about his World Cup selection.

“It will be scary to watch TV on the weekend and through [the rest of the season] because from now on every muscle injury can mean that a player misses out,” the England boss said.

“It’s one thing if players go, if players get injured, which is anyway not nice but then Jordan Henderson, who is a key figure for us in camp, is out, Declan Rice is out, Bukayo is out.

“They are captains for their clubs and they drive the standards. And then Harry Kane drops out so it’s basically the leadership group who is not available. This affects, of course, a group.

“Everyone gave everything and from now on, of course, still now all these injuries, I think, will be still manageable in the window of time that we have to be invested in club football in May and be ready for the World Cup.

“But from now on — the next eight weeks — I am concerned and I hope that that everything goes well for the players, that they stay healthy.”

Tuchel is expected to name his England squad just after the end of the Premier League season, although a date has not been set in stone beyond the need to submit his team before Fifa’s May 31 deadline.