sport news The young English XI breaking through in the Premier League this season trends now
There has long-been a gripe from English managers over recent decades regarding the lack of homegrown stars being handed opportunities in the Premier League.
From Sven-Goran Eriksson to Fabio Capello to Gareth Southgate, Three Lions bosses have regularly bemoaned the limited exposure for the most promising English youngsters in the top flight.
This was particularly pertinent during the era where the national team seemed to plunge to new depths in every international tournament and admiring glances were taken in the direction of other nations such as Spain and Italy who saw a large proportion of their domestic leagues made up of homegrown stars.
Several young English players like Arsenal's Bukayo Saka are shining in the Premier League
This has given a huge boost to England's prospects of success under Gareth Southgate
However, in line with the transformation of the national team under Southgate, there has also been a rise in the amount of English players featuring in the Premier League in the past few years.
In fact, last season saw English players make up 41.2 per cent of players in the top flight, according to the Times - the highest proportion in 17 years.
This is evident in Southgate's side, with stars such as Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and Phil Foden huge parts of the Three Lions team in Qatar after being thrown in to the Premier League as teenagers.
Young talents such as Harvey Elliott (L) and Anthony Gordon (R) have emerged in recent years
Recent seasons have also seen young players such as Harvey Elliott, Anthony Gordon and Curtis Jones take opportunities provided to them and shine, in a huge boost to the future of English football - although all three are yet to make their debut for the senior men's England side.
In light of that, Sportsmail brings together an XI of the best English youngsters aged 21 or under who are enjoying a breakthrough season in the Premier League this year.
GK - Matthew Cox (Brentford)The goalkeeper position for this team was the toughest place to start - with the youngest English stopper to start a game in the Premier league being 24-year-old Aaron Ramsdale - an already established top flight No. 1 with 128 appearances to his name.
Matthew Cox is just 19, but he has already featured on Brentford's bench on 10 occasions this season, having been the goalkeeper of the tournament in England Under-19's Euros triumph in the summer.
The Bees tied Cox down on a new six-year deal last year, demonstrating how highly he is rated.
At the time, Thomas Frank said: 'I think Matt has all the attributes a modern goalkeeper needs. We have a big belief we can help Matt with that and he can continue to improve.'
Bretford's Matthew Cox is a highly-rated keeper and has played for England at youth level
No doubt the breakout star of the season, Rico Lewis is just 18 - but he has emerged to establish himself as Pep Guardiola's current first choice right-back - keeping out two experienced internationals in Joao Cancelo and Kyle Walker.
After captaining City's Under-18 side last year, he has gone on to make 13 appearance this season and scored on his first Champions League start against Sevilla.
Lewis has shown a maturity beyond his years, stepping into midfield as an inverted full-back and he even made the shortlist for Young Sports Personality of the Year in 2022.
Man City defender Rico Lewis has emerged from nowhere to make the right-back spot his own
Lewis is 18, but Pep Guardiola has entrusted him above Kyle Walker and Joao Cancelo recently
After starring for Huddersfield Town on their way to the Championship play-off final last season, there was significant clamour for Levi Colwill's signature this summer.
Brighton won the race, but could only secure a loan deal - with Chelsea keen to not let the 19-year-old centre-back leave permanently - insisting he has a future in the Blues first team.
He had to bide his time at the Amex Stadium, but Colwill has excelled since the World Cup before he picked up a quad injury that will see him miss between four to six weeks.
The defender is another contender for a spot in the England squad.
Levi Colwill broke into the Brighton team after the World Cup and has showed his quality
Leicester City have struggled to find a reliable option at left-back ever since Ben Chilwell moved to Chelsea in 2020, but Luke Thomas is starting to deliver upon his promise.
While he is more a full-back than a centre-back, the 21-year-old has filled in there at times for the Foxes and he has begun to establish himself as first choice left-back for Brendan Rodgers's side as they struggle with significant injury problems.
Thomas has now racked up 75
