Man City youngster Alleyne taking inspiration from Stones as he continues to impress with England U21s and Watford | OneFootball

Man City youngster Max Alleyne says he is taking inspiration from England internationals John Stones, Marc Guehi and Ezri Konsa as he looks to make his way in the game.

Alleyne, who is on loan at Championship side Watford from Manchester City, was instrumental in just his second appearance for England’s Under-21s as they beat Andorra 1-0 in Derby on Monday evening.

The 20-year-old looked confident alongside Ashley Phillips, bringing the ball out from the back and stepping into midfield, while reading the game well to deal with Andorra’s counter-attacking threat.

“It’s a different game, a game that I’m quite familiar with, but you just have to stay patient and break them down and that’s what we did tonight,” he said.

“I’m just used to doing that [carrying the ball out] at club, at Watford and at Man City, so just used to doing it and enjoying it.”

The defender has progressed through England’s youth setup, featuring at every age level and now earning the trust of U21s boss Lee Carsley, who is rebuilding his squad in pursuit of a third consecutive U21 Euros crown in 2027.

Although it was just his second outing for the U21s, Alleyne said: “I felt really comfortable. I’ve played with Ash [Phillips] quite a few times over the years at England camps and I think we really enjoy playing together.

“But all the centre-backs here are such good players. All the players are such good players. So, honestly, it’s easy to play with everyone.”

While some of the younger players have received invaluable experience training with the senior squad, Alleyne has not yet done so, but is eager to experience the connection between the sides.

“St George’s (Park) is quite good for that because it’s one building and the seniors are always there,” he said. “You can watch training and things like that. So, there’s so many interactions you can have on a day-to-day basis. For me, none of the training opportunities, but I think they will come as I get older and I can’t wait.”

When asked whether he had sought advice from any of the senior defenders, he quipped: “I’m too shy for that.

“I wish I could do that, but no, I think I could if anyone wanted to and it’s a good group of lads.”

However, the Watford defender added that the senior centre-backs serve as excellent examples to model his game on, and he feels privileged to observe them up close.

“I think any of the centre-backs is a really good [example],” he continued. “I think John Stones specifically suits my game quite well, but I think Mark Guehi is a great centre-back and Konsa as well. So, anyone in my position would be great to learn from and speak to.”

With three wins and three clean sheets to start their qualification campaign, Carsley’s Young Lions will return to action in November to face the Republic of Ireland.