After another match-winning performance and more talk of an international recall, Danny Welbeck insists that he is fully focused on doing his best at Brighton and Hove Albion.
Welbeck scored both goals as Brighton beat Liverpool 2-1 at the Amex yesterday (Saturday 21 March), further fuelling the case a return to the England squad.
The 35-year-old is enjoying the most prolific campaign of his career and is the leading English goalscorer in the Premier League after taking his tally to 12 against Arne Slot’s fifth-placed side.
But on Friday, Welbeck was overlooked by England boss Thomas Tuchel for the upcoming friendlies against Uruguay and Japan, having won the last of his 42 international caps in September 2018.
Welbeck told BBC Match of the Day: “For me, I have to control what I can control. It’s really nice that my name is being mentioned with that.
“That’s a positive for me. But I don’t like to give energy to things that I can’t control so, for me, I’m just happy and enjoying my football.”
While Welbeck remains in the international wilderness, Brighton’s uncapped reserve goalkeeper Jason Steele, 35, has been selected by Tuchel.
Albion head coach Fabian Hürzeler said of Steele: “When he plays, he’s so reliable and he’s one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League. For me, he’s the best number two in the league, definitely.
“Every team in the world, if you want to be successful, you need to have these kind of characters in the team who understand their role, who know they may not play but will 100 per cent be there for the team. It was no surprise for me that he gets nominated.”
