Patrick Bamford admits his England omission fired him up in Leeds United’s victory over Fulham – and vowed to keep fighting for an international call-up. Bamford opened the scoring just before the half-hour mark, sweeping home Jack Harrison’s low centre. Joachim Andersen levelled for the hosts but Bamford provided a neat assist for Raphinha’s 58th-minute winner.
Patrick Bamford said: “I think every player that gets called up fully deserves it. I think there are a lot of people who probably thought they might get called up but got slightly disappointing news. But for me, I’ve just got to keep doing what I’m doing really, trying to keep working and see if I can put my name in contention for the Euros. As long as I keep going the way I am I think I might be in with a shot. Who knows? I’ve just got to keep working hard for my club. At the start of the season if you’d told me you’re going to be linked with England I’d have said you’re bonkers. So I think that I’ve come a long way and I can’t really be too upset because it’s something that I was never dreaming of at the start of the season so I think it’s one of those things that I’ll keep working towards. If it comes, it comes, if not then I’ll know I’ve done my best.”
Asked if his performance against Fulham was a response to missing out on the England squad,
Patrick Bamford replied: “It was in the back of my mind a little bit, I guess. I was just trying to get through as much as the game as I could because I was struggling but yeah, it always gives you a little bit of extra fire in your belly.”