Welbeck rewarded with England U21 call

Manchester United FC striker Danny Welbeck will be given a chance to stake his claim for a place in the England squad at this summer's UEFA European Under-21 Championship after being called up for the first time for next Tuesday's friendly against Ecuador in Malaga.

Eye-catching strike
The 18-year-old was part of the England side that reached the final of the 2007 UEFA European U17 Championship and has also represented England at U19 level. He steps up to the U21s after breaking into the United team this season. He made his debut in a League Cup win against Middlesbrough FC on 23 September, before catching the eye by crashing in his first senior goal from distance in a 5-0 rout of Stoke City FC in the Premier League on 15 November.

'Done well'
Welbeck scored again in a 3-0 FA Cup victory at Southampton FC on 4 January, and though used sparingly by Sir Alex Ferguson, he has impressed England U21 manager Stuart Pearce. "As we saw from the last championship, there are also players who come with a late run to get into the squad," he said. "In this squad, we are having a look at Danny Welbeck who has done well in the U19s and broken into the team at Old Trafford, which is no mean feat."

'Bigger things'
The teenager was born in Manchester and signed for United's academy two years ago. With the forward having begun to make his mark at Old Trafford, team-mate Michael Carrick is expecting Welbeck to figure prominently in the years ahead. "Danny's got bags of ability and a great temperament so he's suited to Manchester United," Carrick said. "He won't get carried away and will go on to achieve bigger things."

'Hungry for more'
Welbeck himself added of his seven senior outings so far: "It's made me hungry for more. Playing with these players in the first team – there's no better experience. I'm willing to learn and improve as much as I can." Welbeck is joined in the England U21 squad by midfielder Mark Davies, who gets the nod after winning plaudits for his debut for Bolton Wanderers FC in Saturday's 3-2 success against Tottenham Hotspur FC. With Watford FC goalkeeper Scott Loach also looking to earn his first cap, the Ecuador match will be a timely opportunity for Pearce and his young players alike.