Emile Heskey exclusive: Leeds’s Patrick Bamford can be an England number 9

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Patrick Bamford could force his way into Gareth Southgate’s plans if he continues his stunning run of form at Leeds United, former England striker Emile Heskey exclusively tells HITC.

The list of players handed international debuts since the former Middlesbrough boss took over from Roy Hodgson the Three Lions hotseat four years ago is both long and varied.

And if Leeds’ number nine dreams of following in the footsteps of Jadon Sancho, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Declan Rice and, erm, Dominic Solanke with Euro 2021 on the horizon, then he’s certainly going about things in the right way.

The man now popularly known as ‘Hat-trick Bamford’ became the first Whites player to score a Premier League treble since the legendary Mark Viduka, some 17 years ago, during Friday’s brutal obliteration of Aston Villa’s 100 per cent record.

And if his first of the night was classic a centre-forward’s ‘meat and drink’, the simplest of tap-ins, then Bamford’s second and third were like caviar and lobster.

Victor Orta’s £7 million bargain buy doubled his tally by clattering a left-footed rocket in off Villa’s bar before bending a superb curling shot into the top corner with next to no backlift – the glacier cherry upon the icing upon a very tasty cake.

“Bamford was on fire. He was unlucky in the first half, he didn’t connect properly with a couple of chances. It could have been five!” former Liverpool hero Heskey says.

“If he keeps up this run of form, there’s no way Gareth wouldn’t put him in the squad.”

With Harry Kane, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Danny Ings in the form of their life, not to mention Tammy Abraham and Mason Greenwood, Bamford faces an uphill battle.

But this is a man who thrives when he has a point to prove, a man who silences the doubters just when the criticism is threatening to become deafening.

“He has always had that mentality,” Heskey adds. “I remember playing against him when he was at Middlesbrough. Even back then he could miss a few chances but he’d still scored two!

“He’ll never give up, he’s got that eye for goal and that left foot is sweet.

Ignored by Sean Dyche at Burnley and misunderstood by Alan Pardew at Crystal Palace, all Bamford needed a coach willing to hand him the keys to their machine. And he’s found it in Marcelo Bielsa.

“Last season, he probably didn’t score as many as he would want to (16 goals in 43 Championship games). But there’s something about him that Bielsa understands and Bielsa likes. The fact that your manager keeps putting you in, and has that confidence in you, speaks volumes,” Heskey adds.

“That’s huge. That’s what you need, the manager saying ‘you’re my main guy, go out and perform, and when everyone’s getting on your back, I’m here.’ I had that at Liverpool with Gerard Houllier.”

This summer, in preparation for their first top-flight campaign since 2003/04, Leeds invested over £100 million on new signings. Tellingly, not a single penny was spent on a striker capable of taking Bamford’s place in the starting XI.

With six goals in six Premier League games, ‘Hat-trick Bamford’ is re-paying Bielsa’s trust with interest.