Top ten international breaks by Premier League benchwarmers as Man Utd man sends message
We have ranked the top ten Premier League players struggling to break into their club’s starting XI by how well they performed in the international break. It’s always nice being able to use your country to send a message to your manager at club level.
10) Rasmus Hojlund
Had an international break to remember because he *checks notes* screamed a swear word into a microphone. Man United are BACK!
9) Kalvin Phillips
Played a game of football. We are all so chuffed for him. First Harry Maguire, now Kalvin Phillips. Gareth Southgate really is such a charitable human being.
8) Kristoffer Ajer
It’s time to be serious. The international break has fried our brains. We need the Premier League back.
Norwegian defender Ajer played every minute for Norway and scored their second goal as they battered Jordan 6-0 in a friendly, and helped ensure Scotland could not earn qualification for next year’s European Championships just yet with a nervy 2-1 win against Georgia.
The Brentford star started at centre-back in the friendly and moved to right-back for the competitive game, getting some valuable minutes under his belt after starting on matchday one against Tottenham, coming on in injury time a week later and being an unused substitute on matchday three before a nine-minute cameo against Bournemouth ahead of the international break.
7) Leandro Trossard
We all knew how good Trossard was before he joined Arsenal but that extra spotlight seems to have elevated his game to another level. With Belgium’s golden generation behind them, you get the feeling Trossard could be one of their biggest players at next year’s European Championships.
The 28-year-old played 143 minutes across the international break, scoring an absolute belter in the 5-0 win against Estonia. Getting into the Gunners’ starting XI is going to be very difficult but his form for his country will do Trossard no harm.
Perfect night at home! 😍🇧🇪 pic.twitter.com/myMmAvxEfG
— Leandro Trossard (@LTrossard) September 12, 2023
6) Diogo Jota
Is it fair to take a pinch of salt from a 9-0 qualifying victory over Luxembourg? Yes, yes it is. Regardless, Jota scored twice and assisted another in a nice confidence-boosting performance after a slow start to the season for Liverpool.
On a side note, emphatic wins like that really make us question the qualification process. Those matches are so pointless for everyone involved.
5) Jeremy Doku
Doku started Manchester City’s fourth game of the season with Jack Grealish out injured, but we all know minutes are going to be hard to come by under Pep Guardiola. Thankfully for him, City are amazing and will have another season with 60+ fixtures.
The 21-year-old received cap 15 and 16 during the international break, earning a start against Estonia in a qualifying match, notching an assist on his way to a 9.5 WhoScored match rating. Estonia and Azerbaijan are not the most testing fixtures, with all due respect, but still a good fortnight for Doku.
He is still a raw player but under Guardiola, Doku has the potential to be one of the best wingers in the world. You’d hope so when he cost over £50million, to be fair.
4) Konstantinos Mavropanos
Yet to touch the London Stadium grass due to injury, Mavropanos returned to action for his country, putting on a show against the mighty Gibraltar, scoring twice!
Kurt Zouma and Nayef Aguerd are going to be hard to breach in the West Ham defence but the Greek international is doing everything in his power to make it happen.
3) Ivan Perisic
Perisic was a player many expected to see leave Spurs this summer, but he has stayed put, despite rumours linking him with a move back to his homeland of Croatia.
The 34-year-old has come off the bench in all four Premier League games so far this season and was given some joy on the international stage, shining in both of his side’s Euro 2024 qualifying victories. He provided two assists in the 5-0 win against Latvia and was solid again in the closer 1-0 victory in Armenia.
2) Scott McTominay
Everyone has been ranting and raving about McTominay’s goalscoring exploits for Scotland amidst his struggles for Manchester United. Steve Clarke is bringing the best out of the 26-year-old, who is clearly not a holding midfielder.
Six of his seven international goals have come in this qualifying campaign and he bagged another, while notching an assist in an impressive performance away to Cyprus. Having helped the Tartan Army all but qualify for a second successive Euros, McTominay is giving Red Devils manager Erik ten Hag food for thought.
Scotland 1-3 England: Rating Robertson and co. as Clarke’s side fail to impress vs the Auld Enemy
1) Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg
Incidentally, both of our top two could have joined Fulham on deadline day. Neither went to Craven Cottage, where they would have been one of the first names on the teamsheet, instead opting to stay and fight for their places at Spurs and Manchester United respectively.
Hojbjerg’s dropping was quite hard to fathom at the beginning of the season but Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma’s performances have fully justified Ange Postecoglou’s decision to take away the Dane’s starting status.
Clearly happy in north London, Hojbjerg had a terrific international break with Denmark, sending Big Ange a Big Message with a goal in each of his side’s qualifiers. One might have come against San Marino but the other decided a Scandinavian derby away to Finland.
