At 11:30 this Tuesday, at the Pinatar Arena in Murcia, England U19s play their final match in a scheduled three-game friendly series. The Young Lions opened with a 2–0 win over Ukraine before being held to an entertaining 3–3 draw against Spain in a tougher test.
England line-up against the Netherlands :
Will Antwi has named a hugely promising 22-man squad, made up almost entirely of players born in 2007. There are just three exceptions: Arsenal goalkeeper Jack Porter (2008), and Jeremy Monga and Max Dowman (both 2009).
Dowman, Leicester’s young winger, has caught the eye at the start of the Championship season with a goal and an assist in just 145 minutes of league football. Monga, meanwhile, impressed in pre-season, earning minutes for Chelsea against Leeds United in the Premier League and even winning a penalty.
Other names to watch include midfielder Souleymane Sidibé, who recently joined PSV Eindhoven from Stoke City, as well as forwards Shumaira Mheuka (Chelsea) and Jay Robinson (Southampton). Robinson in particular has started brightly this season at a club long known for giving young players the chance to shine.
England’s starting XI to face the Netherlands :
- Nicholas Michalski (Blackburn Rovers)
- Stephen Mfuni (Manchester City)
- Airidas Golambeckis (West Ham United)
- Kian Noble (Manchester City)
- Leo Shahar (Wolves)
- Chris Rigg (Sunderland AFC)
- Callum Olusesi (Tottenham Hotspur)
- Harrison Armstrong (Preston North End)
- Jay Robinson (Southampton)
- Max Dowman (Arsenal FC)
- Shumaira Mheuka (Chelsea FC)
