Wilson in bid to be Van’s man

ENGLAND U21s

JAMES WILSON sent a “don’t forget me” message to Louis van Gaal as England Under- 21s began to pick up the pieces after the summer’s disappointing European Championship.

Manchester United’s young striker came off the bench to grab the only goal of this friendly in a bid to persuade Van Gaal to give him a chance to help the club’s goalscoring problems.

Wilson’s goal came from close range in the 72nd minute after Duncan Whatmore had taken the ball past United States substitute keeper Zach Steffen.

But England manager Gareth Southgate will need his young lions to show more bite than this when it matters.

Southgate is preparing to start again on Monday night when they travel to Norway for their opening qualifi er for the next tournament.

He gave debuts to Liverpool pair Joe Gomez and Jordon Ibe as well as on- loan Preston goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and Tottenham forward Dele Alli.

It was Pickford who was nearly picking a ball out of a familiar goal at Deepdale when US midfi elder Mario Rodriguez fi red an early effort just wide.

There may be a fresh outlook for Southgate but it was one of the more experienced names who was pulling the strings early on as Nathan Redmond threatened down the left.

The Norwich winger created the fi rst chance for Cauley Woodrow and an earlier effort from Alli that failed to trouble Cody Cropper.

Ibe got in on the act as he crossed for Woodrow but this time the Fulham man’s shot was defl ected wide.

Ruben Loftus- Cheek headed the resulting corner over the bar.

Skipper James Ward- Prowse found the target just before the break with a curling free- kick but Cropper was alert to the danger.

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers was in the stands to watch his two players in action but will not have been impressed by a wasted chance from Ibe when he worked his way into the area on the hour.

Both sides made a raft of changes but it was Wilson who came up trumps.