TalkSPORT host Jim White believes Mason Mount and Tammy Abraham deserve to be called up to Gareth Southgate’s latest England squad ahead of the upcoming international break.
England face Bulgaria and Kosovo in their latest double-header of qualifiers for the European Championships, and White believes that the Chelsea pair have done more than enough to warrant a place in the national side.
Southgate names his squad later this week, and both Mount and Abraham were in goalscoring form as Chelsea saw off Norwich 3-2 at Carrow Road on Saturday.
Speaking on his TalkSPORT show, White said: “Gareth Southgate announces his squad on Thursday for the upcoming Euro qualifiers. Should two players in particular – Mason Mount and Tammy Abraham be considered for a call-up and should they be given a chance? I would say yeah, they should be.
“At the forefront of Gareth Southgate’s philosophy is picking players on form over reputation despite their age.
“So far this season, Mason Mount has been nothing short of a revelation stepping up and attempting to fill the void left by Eden Hazard. He’s a great player, Mason Mount – he has been sensational.
“As for Tammy Abraham, he’s come in for some criticism after the first game at Old Trafford, but he has responded superbly since then – and at the weekend at Norwich showed his class, and exactly what he can do in a Chelsea shirt.”
Judging by the manager’s previous selection when it comes to youngsters, there may be every reason for 20-year-old Mount and Abraham, 21, to expect to be in with a shout of making Southgate’s squad.
England’s most recent squad – for the Nations League finals back in June – featured no fewer than six players under the age of 23, including the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold (20) and Jadon Sancho (19), which demonstrates Southgate’s willingness to prioritise form over experience.
So with Mount scoring in successive games, and Abraham getting off the mark with a match-winning double at the weekend, perhaps they could be expecting a call from the England boss in the coming days.
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