Bailey Peacock-Farrell is in line to make a Leeds United comeback after the international break when Millwall visit Elland Road.
The 22-year-old goalkeeper is the favourite to replace Kiko Casilla between the sticks after his red card in the top-of-the-table clash last weekend, when Leeds fell to defeat at the hands of Sheffield United.
Peacock-Farrell is currently away with Northern Ireland preparing for EURO 2020 qualifiers this week and will focus on that before any potential return to the starting XI.
He’s joined by Steve Harper who is the goalkeeping coach for the Northern Irish national side.
And he has had his say on what the young stopper needs to do to take his chance, as well as comparing his situation of a former teammate, and now England number one, Jordan Pickford.
Peacock-Farrell began the season as the first choice at Elland Road but dropped down to the bench in January after Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa signed Casilla from Real Madrid.
Harper sees similarities between the Leeds man and Pickford, who was dropped in favour if Vito Mannone back in 2016 when he was a similar age to the Leeds man.
“Obviously he’s disappointed to be left out,” Harper told the Belfast Telegraph. “On the bus earlier, I was chatting to him about the scenario I had with Jordan Pickford at Sunderland when I went there.
“He wasn’t in the team but he was working incredibly hard in the gym, doing the extra work so when his opportunity came, he was ready.
“When you do get left out if you take it the wrong way – you don’t train well, don’t do the extra work – when your opportunity does come then you aren’t ready.
“Jordan was working very hard, and when he got his opportunity, he was ready.”
“He’s a young lad to have played 27 (league) games for a big club like Leeds,” Harper added.
“It’s great experience, great exposure at a good level in the Championship and they’re now only a heartbeat away from the Premier League.”
The verdict
Peacock-Farrell is sure to get some good advice from Harper who has been a goalkeeper in the top division of English football for a long time and has seen and done a lot in the game.
He would be wise to listen to his national team coach in order to make sure he keeps his place in the Leeds first team once Casilla returns from suspension.
Now is the time for Peacock-Farrell to listen to the former Newcastle and Sunderland stopper in order to win over Bielsa and retain his place in the side for the rest of the campaign and beyond.