England manager Gareth Southgate has praised Chelsea loanee Conor Gallagher’s ability to win the ball after playing a big part in their 2-1 win over Switzerland on Saturday.
It was the 22-year-old’s first appearance in front of the Wembley crowd, and he certainly did not disappoint.
While playing in a two-man midfield in a 3-4-3 system arguably hindered his usual box-to-box playing, it did not stop him from showcasing his playmaking ability.
His performance also unsurprisingly earned positive reviews from English media.
England boss Southgate was particularly impressed by the Chelsea loanee’s work rate off the ball.
“He’s infectious, isn’t he?” Southgate told Sky Sports about Gallagher’s energy on the pitch.
“I think he can set the tone for the rest of the team — we see that with his club every week — and he presses with ambition.
“You know, some players get close to people but don’t actually win the ball. He goes, makes contact, and turns the ball over [a lot of times]. In the first half, that was important.”
Gallagher’s meteoric rise both at loan club Crystal Palace and England is hardly a surprise for Chelsea fans.
After all, he was the Blues’ academy player of the year in 2019, the same award previously won by Mason Mount and Reece James.
Mount and James have now established themselves as key players for Chelsea, and Gallagher is expected to follow suit, hopefully next season.
The young midfielder will face fierce competition for midfield spots at Chelsea, though with Thomas Tuchel already having three key midfielders at his disposal; N’Golo Kante, Jorginho, and Mateo Kovacic.
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