Leeds United youngster maintains remarkable 100 per cent record with crucial mini-tournament win

Sonny Perkins’ five-goal haul for England during September’s international break has helped England’s Under-19s confirm their place in the elite round of qualification ahead of next summer’s European Championships.

England are current holders of the UEFA Under-19 Euros, a competition which takes place each summer, and Perkins is one of several talented Three Lions youngsters hoping to make a similar mark in 2023’s edition of the tournament.

Alongside Leeds colleague Darko Gyabi and his international teammates, Perkins fired England into the elite qualification round with a game to spare after beating Montenegro and Georgia by a combined score-line of eight goals to nil.

Perkins netted in England’s 2-0 win over Montenegro, before scoring a first-half hat-trick during the Young Lions’ 6-0 victory against Georgia.

He then added a fifth goal in three matches at international level with the opening goal in England’s 4-2 win versus mini-tournament qualification hosts Denmark.

Fellow Leeds man Gyabi chimed in with England’s fourth in their 4-2 win over Denmark, while Perkins even added an assist to his fine start for England’s third.

All matches in England’s initial qualifying group took place in the Scandinavian country, with teams playing each other once in a round-robin format.

The top two sides in each four-team group qualify automatically for the elite round which takes place in March, and England’s 100 per cent record means the tournament holders are likely to be seeded in Pot A before final qualification groups are drawn.

This stands to benefit Perkins, Gyabi and co as only one nation from the four-team elite round qualification groups advances to the final tournament, staged in Malta next summer.

Perkins’ opener versus the Danes helped the Leeds teenager maintain his own outstanding run having scored in each fixture he has played for club and country since the beginning of the season.

The former West Ham United youngster has now scored 11 goals in eight matches since the start of the campaign for Leeds’ Under-21 group and England’s Under-19s.

Perkins is currently outright top scorer in UEFA Under-19 European Championships qualifying with five, and joint-top scorer in Premier League 2 this season on six.