Sheffield United: Could a Blade be set for a full England call-up?

For the second time in less than a week, Gareth Southgate was among the crowd at Bramall Lane as Sheffield United pressed ahead with their campaign to establish themselves as a Premier League club.
England manager Gareth Southgate with former Sheffield United manager Dave Basset at Bramall Lane: Simon Bellis/SportimageEngland manager Gareth Southgate with former Sheffield United manager Dave Basset at Bramall Lane: Simon Bellis/Sportimage
England manager Gareth Southgate with former Sheffield United manager Dave Basset at Bramall Lane: Simon Bellis/Sportimage

Although Hamza Choudhury and James Maddison are likely to have featured on the England manager's watch-list ahead of yesterday's game against Leicester City, his presence in the crowd when Crystal Palace visited South Yorkshire six days earlier suggests at least one member of Chris Wilder's squad is under consideration ahead of next month's meetings with Bulgaria and Kosovo.

Given Southgate's preference for selecting younger players, and with none of those eligible for selection in Palace's starting eleven aged under 28, it would not be a major surprise if United's Dean Henderson is called-up for the Euro 2020 qualifiers. The goalkeeper, on loan from Manchester United, has made no secret of his ambition to win a senior cap after previously being recognised at under-21 level. Earlier this year, Southgate also confirmed Henderson is on his "radar" following a series of impressive displays during United's promotion from the Championship.

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"It was good to have him here again," Wilder said, when asked about Southgate. "There's a few Leicester lads, I'm sure, he was here for. We were just focused on what we were trying to do to be honest."

Oli McBurnie and George Baldock (right): Simon Bellis/SportimageOli McBurnie and George Baldock (right): Simon Bellis/Sportimage
Oli McBurnie and George Baldock (right): Simon Bellis/Sportimage

Although some folk will scoff at the idea, Jack O'Connell and possibly even George Baldock could enter Southgate's thinking. O'Connell, already regarded as one of the country's most promising centre-halves, has made a strong start to the new season and helped set in motion the chain of events which led to John Lundstram's goal during the win over Palace. Fresh from signing a new long-term contract, Baldock followed what Wilder later described as "the best pound per pound" performance of his United career by providing the assist for Oli McBurnie's strike against City.