'Get on that plane' - Luke Ayling lays down gauntlet to Leeds United team mate ahead of Liverpool clash

LUKE Ayling has revealed the extent of the Leeds United squad's delight at Patrick Bamford's progress and says the striker now has seven games to book a spot at the Euros.
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Whites no 9 Bamford is thriving upon his second crack at the Premier League, four seasons after the second of two terms in the top flight with four different clubs in Burnley, Norwich City, Crystal Palace and Middlesbrough.

Bamford scored just once in 27 outings first time around and whilst starts were rare, the forward still admitted that he had a point to prove upon his Premier League return but this time with Leeds after last season's promotion as Championship champions.

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Seven months into the 2020-21 campaign, Bamford now finds himself joint-fourth in the division's Golden Boot race on 14 goals and firmly on England boss Gareth Southgate's radar.

BACKING: For Leeds United no 9 Patrick Bamford from team mate Luke Ayling, pictured as the duo celebrate Bamford's strike in February's 2-0 victory against Crystal Palace. Photo by Jon Super - Pool/Getty Images.BACKING: For Leeds United no 9 Patrick Bamford from team mate Luke Ayling, pictured as the duo celebrate Bamford's strike in February's 2-0 victory against Crystal Palace. Photo by Jon Super - Pool/Getty Images.
BACKING: For Leeds United no 9 Patrick Bamford from team mate Luke Ayling, pictured as the duo celebrate Bamford's strike in February's 2-0 victory against Crystal Palace. Photo by Jon Super - Pool/Getty Images.

Bamford was ultimately overlooked by Southgate for last month's World Cup qualifiers but the striker remains high up in Southgate's thoughts and Ayling is now challenging his team mate to net the goals that would seal a place in England's squad for the Euros that Bamford deserves.

Speaking on the Official Leeds United Podcast on which both Ayling and Bamford appeared together this week, Ayling was asked about Bamford as a team mate and said: "If you ask the boys who they are most pleased for this year I think everybody would say Pat.

"Everybody knows that he got a lot of stick in the past and a lot of managers haven't thought that he was good enough or silver spoon and all this malarkey and that.

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"But he has just come out this year and from minute one he has worked hard, he has scored goals and it's been brilliant.

"He's got seven games to get on that plane for the Euros which I think most of us think that he should be.

"He's got seven games now to score as many goals as he can and to make sure that he is on that plane."

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Thank you Laura Collins