Charlie Cresswell wait continues as Leeds United star's future is adressed but duo get starts

United’s England under-21s star Cresswell joined Championship side Millwall on a season-long loan in July and the defender started eight of his side’s first 11 league games and scored from the bench in another. Cresswell scored three goals in Millwall’s first eight games and was part of the matchday squad for the first 11 league games but the 20-year-old was missing for the third fixture in a row in Saturday’s Championship clash at Bristol City.

The Leeds defender has been overlooked of late following boss Gary Rowett’s decision to switch to a back four and Rowett was asked this week about reported interest in the defender from Norwich City, despite having already stated that he expected the centre-back to see out the season with his Lions.

“It’s not a surprise, he’s been really, really good,” the Millwall boss told NewsAtDen. “For a first loan, to come into a difficult division when we’ve probably not been at our best in that period, he’s done really, really well.

“He’s another one that, because of the formation change, I had to make a decision on which two centre-halves I chose. One was my captain and one was my vice-captain, it’s very, very difficult. Again, there’ll be an opportunity at some point for Charlie to come back into the side and he’s got to be ready to stay in it when he does.

“All the external stories and whatever, I’m not surprised. He’s a really good player and one with a lot of potential. I can’t control all of those things. All I can do is try and pick the team that I think is going to win the game and then try to give the players that are not in the side an opportunity to try and stake their place.

“Football changes very, very quickly and the players out of the team or out of the squad just need to be ready. When they get their chance, they’ll have an opportunity to try and keep their place.”

Leeds midfielder Jamie Shackleton is also on a season-long loan at Millwall and came off the bench with two minutes of Saturday’s clash at Bristol City in which the Lions recorded a 2-1 victory. Elsewhere on the Whites loanees front, Tyler Roberts started for QPR and played 79 minutes of their 3-1 defeat at Luton Town whilst Ian Poveda was an unused substitute for Blackpool who conceded a 98th-minute equaliser in a 3-3 draw at Sheffield United.

In the Premier League, Dan James again started for Fulham but came off at half-time in a 2-2 draw at home to Bournemouth. In League One, Lewis Bate was not involved for Oxford United who recorded a 4-1 triumph at Exeter City. In League Two, Jack Jenkins stayed on the bench for Salford City who were beaten 1-0 by visiting Bradford City.