Sheffield United: Defender Jack O'Connell speaks out amidst talk over England call-up - and an international approach from Republic of Ireland

The Liverpudlian has been in fine form for the Blades since making his Premier League debut on the opening day of the season at AFC Bournemouth, and has helped the Blades record the joint-best defensive record in the top-flight this campaign.

No team has conceded fewer than the seven goals let in by both United and reigning Champions League holders Liverpool, while the Blades also have the joint-most clean sheets in the league and have conceded the fewest goals from open play (five) outright.

O’Connell, the former Brentford defender, was in top form again on Monday as the Blades blunted Arsenal to record a famous 1-0 victory, thanks to Lys Mousset’s winner on his first league start for the club.

And O’Connell, quoted in the book ‘We’re not going to Wembley’, the story of United’s promotion from the Championship last season, said in the summer: “A lad who I used to play with at Brentford, James Tarkowski, has made that step-up with Burnley and played at international level, so it has been done.

“You’ve obviously got to be playing in the Premier League to be considered for England and there are definitely players ahead of me in the queue, the likes of Conor Coady at Wolves. But if I have a good season in the Premier League, I don’t see why not.”

Republic of Ireland manager Mick McCarthy has previously instructed FAI officials to investigate O’Connell’s ancestry, to discover if he would be eligible to represent them at international level – as his Blades colleagues John Egan, Enda Stevens, David McGoldrick and Callum Robinson already do.

“I couldn’t do it anyway,” the defender revealed. “It can only go as far as your nannan or grandad, and my great-grandad was Irish. Maybe they just looked at the surname! But I always get asked. They asked me when I was younger, when I first got picked for England.”

O’Connell played for England U18s and U19s earlier in his career and cost United just £500,000 from Brentford.