Owen Hargreaves tips Marcus Edwards for England call-up after his ‘amazing’ solo run against Spurs

Owen Hargreaves has tipped Sporting Lisbon star Marcus Edwards to be called up to the England senior squad after a stunning first half against Tottenham in the Champions League.

It was a remarkable night for Edwards, who took on the club that let him go in 2019 – after making just one first-team appearance.

But the 23-year-old was unaffected by that, as he played a false nine for Sporting and almost opened the score just before half-time with an incredible solo goal.

Edwards picked up the ball just in the opposing half, shot towards the goal and danced around several Spurs players as he did so. Challenges came in, but he magically avoided them.

After playing a one-two with Francisco Trincao, Edwards squirmed away from a few more defenders before his shot was blocked from close range by Hugo Lloris.

Just before the start of the second half in Portugal, BT Sport co-commentator Hargreaves was asked by commentator Ian Darke if Edwards was lining up for a call from Three Lions.

“How can he not when he plays like that?” Hargreaves replied. “There were a lot of internationals and he was the best player on the field. That’s what you want as a player, an opportunity. He can play in different positions.

The 23-year-old danced around the Spurs defenders as he shot towards goal in the first half

Owen Hargreaves has tipped the 23-year-old to earn a call-up to England’s senior squad

“He plays really well as a false nine and can play like a number 10. He just takes the ball so well. I think there is always room for such a player in the team.

Gareth Southgate will announce his squad for England on Thursday, ahead of two Nations League matches later this month – the Three Lions’ last games before the World Cup.

BT Sport’s studio pundits were impressed with Edwards’ first-half performance, especially his near-perfect solo run.

“This was spectacular,” said Peter Crouch. “There aren’t many passages in the game that keep us all going and that’s what we were at the moment. I know we have a foot in the Spurs camp, but this was an incredible run.

“So much technique and skill, just couldn’t make it to the finish. But a great passage of the game.’

Jermaine Jenas added: “It’s one of those runs, just on the part of a football purist, you look at it and go ‘go on, finish it’. You did everything right, it’s unbelievable. The swinging of the body, the movement, the control.

Fellow BT Sport pundit Peter Crouch was equally impressed by Edwards’ ‘spectacular’ display

Edwards joined Sporting Lisbon in January after two and a half years with Vitoria de Guimaraes

“You have to give credit to Lloris, the last line of defence. Gets a real decent arm, a little luck. But it’s a big, big rescue.’

London-born Edwards was capped 49 times by England at youth level and was part of the under-19 squad that won the European Championships in 2017.

He left Spurs in 2019 to sign for Portuguese Vitoria de Guimaraes and 20 goals in 85 appearances earned him a move to Sporting in January this year.

The attacking star has scored three goals in seven games so far this season, including one against Eintracht Frankfurt in the first round of Champions League matches.