Lewis Hall backed for England by Joe Cole after passing 'massive test' against Arsenal - 'He is making a brilliant case'
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Published 02/11/2024 at 17:43 GMT
Lewis Hall passed a "massive test" against Bukayo Saka and Arsenal according to Joe Cole, who said the 20-year-old is building his case for an inclusion in Thomas Tuchel's England squad. Newcastle United ran out 1-0 winners thanks to an Alexander Isak header and staunch defence led by Hall and Tino Livramento, as The Gunners managed just one attempt on target at St James' Park.
Highlights: Isak heads winner as Newcastle beat off-colour Arsenal
Video credit: TNT Sports
TNT Sports' Joe Cole described Lewis Hall as potentially England's next left-back after the 20-year-old starred in Newcastle United's 1-0 win over Arsenal.
Hall shackled Bukayo Saka for most of the afternoon and was named player of the match by Lucy Ward on TNT Sports, after he played the full 90 minutes against Ukraine for England Under-21s in the recent international break.
Alexander Isak headed Newcastle ahead after 12 minutes and Arsenal created few chances in reply thanks to a determined rearguard action from the hosts led by full-backs Hall and Tino Livramento.
"He is making a brilliant case, mainly because of his performances but also Luke Shaw has been injured and [Ben] Chilwell has not kept himself as fit as he would like and that opens up the conversation," Cole said on TNT Sports.
"But he is such an intelligent and well-mannered and respectful boy, he knows he just has to keep playing like he did today.
"That was a massive test by the way, he is playing against Saka who is bang in form, and he dealt with him quite comfortably.
"Saka was not at it today and Lewis Hall, and his team-mates around him and the structure that Eddie [Howe, Newcastle manager] put them in helped out massively, but he was brilliant and I think I can see a very bright future for him."
Martin Keown agreed, saying Hall played "exceptionally well" against Arsenal, and also highlighted Livramento on the other side of Newcastle's back four as the 21-year-old ensured Gabriel Martinelli had a quiet afternoon at St James' Park.
Lee Carsley gave Livramento his first international call-up for England's Nations League games against Finland and Republic of Ireland but the full-back is yet to earn a cap for The Three Lions.
Carsley's latest England squad did not include any specialist left-backs as Rico Lewis filled the berth against Finland and Greece, but the future squads will be drawn up by new boss Thomas Tuchel.
Hall has 'noticed' England opportunity
Saka did manage to create one golden opportunity - a cross for Declan Rice in stoppage time that the midfielder headed wide from close range - but otherwise it was a largely frustrating game for the Arsenal man as Hall kept him under wraps.
Hall told TNT Sports: "Obviously, there are not many left-backs in the England squad so I would be lying if I said I had not noticed that but I am just focusing on playing for Newcastle and if I am playing well at Newcastle then that is all I care about."
Newcastle bought Hall in the summer for a reported £28 million plus £7m in potential add-ons after he spent last season on loan with The Magpies but was used sparingly by Howe.
However, he has made 13 appearances this campaign, and started Newcastle's last six games.
"I would put him up there because of his consistency this season, I think he has been one of our most consistent players week in, week out," Howe added on Hall's case for England selection.
"I think he has come on leaps and bounds but I think Lewis is the one that deserves all the credit, he is the one who has really had to dig deep, show all the resilience.
"It is difficult when you are a young player, you have come to a club of this size and this stature, a big transfer fee and does not immediately play.
"You have to handle that, you have to know why and you have to then go away and work at your game and he did all of those things, and he is reaping the rewards now. The level of his game is very high, his technical ability I think is undisputed, he is attacking better.
"He is creating goals for us as he did at Chelsea but the most important part as a defender is your job to keep clean sheets and he kept a very, very good player pretty quiet today and I think he is growing every week."
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