Graham Potter promises Conor Gallagher will get chance to stake World Cup claim

Graham Potter has promised to give Conor Gallagher the chance to impress Gareth Southgate and get into the World Cup squad in the coming month.

Gallagher made his debut for England just under a year ago after impressing on loan at Crystal Palace but wasn't included in Southgate's latest squad, the last one before he makes his World Cup selection.

That's undoubtedly largely because the midfielder hasn't made the best start to the season back at Chelsea, making just six appearances and three starts.

If he wants to go to Qatar with his country, he'll need to do more at club level, and Potter has promised him the chance to do so.

“We’ve got a really intense period coming up. We’ve got 12 games in six and a half weeks so we need everybody," he said.

"It’s impossible to play with 11 players, so Conor will get his time, he’ll get his chances, he’ll get opportunities to perform.

“Like I said, we have to try to help the team perform in a good way that all individuals can play well, and then England, that’s something out of my control.”

Gallagher has made a good start to life under Potter, scoring in the side's 2-1 win over Crystal Palace, and the new manager has indeed been impressed with him so far.

“I really like him. He’s fantastic. First of all, he just gives everything every day, desperate to do well, desperate to play for Chelsea, desperate to be successful here, so that’s a great starting point," he added.

“And then it’s about finding the right balance for him to play in the team, for the team to perform maximally, that helps all the players but in terms of Conor as a person he’s been A1.”