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Joe Donnohue

Patrick Bamford ends 20-year Leeds United stretch as striker confirmed to start for England

Leeds United have had plenty of strikers over the past 20 years - some better than others.

In that time the club have experienced the heady heights of Champions League semi-finals, plumbed new depths in the third tier of English football and everything in between.

The Whites made a long-awaited Premier League return last summer though, and look set to consolidate their top flight status for another season after £50 million worth of investment was made in the playing squad over the past few months.

Propelled by a team made up largely of promotion-winners and Marcelo Bielsa disciples, there remains a positive dressing room atmosphere despite a slow start to the campaign.

One such disciple is Patrick Bamford, who has been named as England's starting striker in this evening's FIFA World Cup qualifier with Andorra.

The forward has been one player to improve considerably under the Argentine coach.

Consequently, he has earned an England call-up, and been given the nod by Gareth Southgate to lead the line for his country at Wembley tonight.

In doing so, he becomes the first Leeds United striker to make an England debut since Alan Smith in 2001.

Smith's debut came at the age of 20 in a friendly versus Mexico, while Bamford makes his Three Lions bow on his 28th birthday.

Alongside him Southgate has named the following XI: Sam Johnstone, Reece James, Kieran Trippier, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Conor Coady, Tyrone Mings, Jude Bellingham, Jordan Henderson, Jesse Lingard, Bukayo Saka and Patrick Bamford

Kalvin Phillips does not start and is instead rested for today's match, along with a string of other key names including Harry Kane, whose place Bamford has been entrusted with.

Andorra are ranked 134th in the FIFA world rankings, while England are fourth, behind Belgium, Brazil and France.

Southgate's side have been prolific in qualifying so far, scoring 13 times in four matches.

This includes England's most recent victory: a 4-0 rout of Hungary in Budapest earlier this week.

Bamford will be looking to get on the scoresheet on his debut, and would become the first Leeds United player to do so on his maiden England appearance since Allan Clarke in 1970.

The Leeds man will wear the No. 9 shirt at Wembley Stadium.

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