That was the consensus at Manchester City when the skinny midfielder moved up to the under-16s and struggled to make an impression. Coaches had always quite liked him and understood that he could make up for his lack of power and presence with skill – but that changed when he was 15 and moved to a new team.

Enzo Maresca expects Cole Palmer to miss England's World Cup qualifiers after suffering a "muscular injury" which will require a scan on Monday.