Sheffield United: Lee Carsley on Rhian Brewster as quartet feature in England v Germany game

But from a Sheffield United perspective, given that four of the players Paul Heckingbottom could select for this weekend’s meeting with Birmingham City were involved in last night’s under-21 contest at Bramall Lane, the biggest cause for celebration was that all of them emerged unscathed. With his squad entering the international break on top of the Championship table, even England coach Lee Carsley could forgive the 44-year-old for ditching any sense of patriotism and favouring parochial interests instead.

“Rhian was always going to feature at some stage, said Carsley, who introduced Tommy Doyle, James McAtee and Rhian Brewster during the closing stages, having seen the latter score twice against Italy last week. “He’s had a really strong camp.”

Folarin Balogun, Conor Gallagher and Cole Palmer powered the Young Lions to victory after Felix Nmecha had fired the Germans in front.

“Rhian’s not short of confidence,” Carsley continued, returning to Brewster. “Now he just needs to build on what he’s done with us.”

Carsley, who once spent a brief period on United’s coaching staff, demonstrated that sentimentality is not one of his character traits by selecting Brewster, Doyle and McAtee on the bench for this eagerly anticipated game. Fortunately for those of a red and white persuasion in the crowd, his counterpart Antonio di Salvo proved more in touch with local sensibilities by starting Reda Khadra, who completed the quartet of United youngsters involved.

But Carsley’s selections did at least provide the host club’s fans to observe Balogun at close quarters. The Arsenal striker, now on loan at Reims, was linked with a move to South Yorkshire during Chris Wilder’s reign.

Balogun showed flashes of the talent which captured the imagination of Heckingbottom’s predecessor, before he plumped for Brewster instead - firing home towards the end of the first-half after Wolfsburg’s Nmecha had opened the scoring.

At the other end of the pitch, Khadra found the going a touch easier, initially taking up a position on the visitors’ right flank despite wearing the ‘number nine’ on his shirt.

Despite clearly possessing the potential to trouble England’s rearguard with his directness and pace, it was when Khadra tired of hugging the touchline and drifted into central areas that he made the biggest impression on the game; once nearly jinking between Jacob Ramsey and Taylor Harwood-Bellis before going close soon after Gallagher’s intervention. Like Doyle and McAtee, Manchester City have loaned Harwood-Bellis out in order to further his experience. Dispatched to United’s Championship rivals Burnley, Heckingbottom will have been fascinated to witness the engagements between Khadra and the centre-half ahead of the Lancastrians’ trip across the Pennines in just over a month.

Likewise, given Di Salvo’s tactical manoeuvring, his duel with Max Aarons. It should probably be scored a draw, given the Norwich City defender’s intervention when Khadra threatened to burst through in the second period.

Chelsea’s Gallagher, omitted from England’s latest senior squad, gave Gareth Southgate a nudge by converting soon after the interval before substitute Palmer pounced in added time.

Meanwhile, United’s John Egan netted his second goal in two outings for the Republic of Ireland as they beat Armenia 3-2. Sander Berge, George Baldock and Iliman Ndiaye featured for Norway, Greece and Senegal.

MORE: https://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/football/sheffield-united/sheffield-united-rhian-brewster-backed-to-build-on-his-england-salvo-against-italy-3855547