Sunderland's homegrown keeper Anthony Patterson earns…

Sunderland's homegrown keeper Anthony Patterson earns first England U21 call-up

Anthony Patterson has received his first England U21 call-up with his outstanding form for Sunderland recognised by the Young Lions. Academy graduate Patterson has been included in Lee Carsley's 26-man squad for the friendlies against France U21 at Leicester's King Power Stadium on Saturday, March 25, and Croatia U21 at Fulham's Craven Cottage on Tuesday, March 28.

He is one of four goalkeepers in the squad, along with West Bromwich Albion's Josh Griffiths, Brighton's Carl Rushworth who is currently on loan at Lincoln City, and Manchester City's James Trafford, who is currently on loan at Bolton. Patterson has been in excellent form since being recalled from a loan spell at Notts County in January 2022 as the club battled a Covid outbreak which affected Sunderland's two senior goalkeepers, on-loan Bayern Munich man Thorben Hoffman and Lee Burge.

He held onto the number one shirt for the remainder of the season, helping Sunderland win promotion from League One via the play-offs. And he has been the undisputed number one this term, playing every one of the club's 37 Championship games so far.

England U21 are building towards this this summer's Euro U21 Championships in Romania and Georgia. Patterson will turn 23 in May but is still able to play for the U21s in the tournament because the rules state that players who were 21 or under when the qualification process began in 2021 are eligible.

There was talk last month that Patterson would be handed an U21 call-up in the next round of international fixtures, with Tony Mowbray saying at the time: "I think he's doing exceptionally well. He's got an amazing temperament and I see him working every day with Alessandro [Barcherini, Sunderland's goalkeepering coach].

"I've been in the football management game a long time and I'd have to say the temperament of the goalkeeper we've got is fantastic, really. He's a steady young guy, he doesn't get uptight about anything, or feel he's really great - his personality is so measured, it's amazing.

"He can find a way to keep the ball out of the net, to help the team when the ball is in the box, and his distribution is improving so there are lots of positives. He doesn't get flustered about anything, he's just a really laid-back individual.

"I don't follow the England U21 goalkeeping situation closely in terms of who is playing and which club they play for, but what I do know is that young Anthony is doing very well and if a call-up does come, it would be richly deserved."

Meanwhile, on-loan Manchester United forward Amad has been recalled to the Ivory Coast senior squad ahead of their Africa Cup of Nations qualifying double-header against Comoros later this month. The Elephants, who are top of Group H, face third-placed Comoros at home in Bouake on Friday, March 24, with the return game in Moroni on Tuesday, March 28.

Amad last played for Ivory Coast in 2021, and will have to prove his fitness before he can link up with the squad having missed Sunderland's last two games with a minor hamstring issue, although boss Tony Mowbray said in midweek that he hoped the 20-year-old would be ready to return in tomorrow's home game against Luton Town.

Sunderland's French duo of Edouard Michut and Abdoullah Ba have also received international call-ups, having been named in the France U20 squad. The pair, who have previously represented their country at U19 level, are in the squad that will play three friendlies in Marbella, Spain, later this month.

France will take on the USA U20 on Wednesday, March 20, the Netherlands U19/U20 on Saturday, March 25, and then England U20 on Tuesday, March 28.

Sunderland's homegrown keeper Anthony Patterson earns first England U21 call-up

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