The meteoric rise of Evan Ferguson continues apace at Brighton, and the exciting young Irish striker was once again the centre of attention ahead of the Seagulls' Premier League clash with Leeds on Saturday afternoon.
Ferguson has cemented his place as the first choice centre forward at Brighton, who are enjoying a brilliant season under new manager Roberto de Zerbi. Ahead of Saturday's Premier League games, they sat just seven points off the Champions League places with three games in hand over fourth-placed Spurs.
Their new sensation up front, 18-year-old Evan Ferguson, has been a massive part of the team's success in recent weeks. Ferguson scored his first Premier League goal against Arsenal in December, and now sits on three goals and two assists across eight Premier League appearances so far this season.
His average of a goal involvement every 77 minutes puts him alongside the Premier League's very best this season, and pre-match on Saturday two former Ireland internationals likened Ferguson to Spurs star Harry Kane in a glowing appraisal of his potential.
Shay Given and Damien Delaney sing praises of Evan Ferguson
With Ireland facing the daunting task of a visit from World Cup runners-up France in just over two weeks' time, one of the defining questions is whether 18-year-old Evan Ferguson will be trusted with a starting berth by manager Stephen Kenny.
20 November 2022; Evan Ferguson of Republic of Ireland in action against Kurt Shaw of Malta during the International Friendly match between Malta and Republic of Ireland at the Ta' Qali National Stadium in Attard, Malta. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile
Ireland legend Shay Given appeared on Premier Sports' coverage of Leeds v Brighton on Saturday afternoon. Not only did Given say that he would start Ferguson, he joked that he would trust him with the captain's armband, before comparing him to the prolific Harry Kane:
We were talking off-air, asking 'would you start him?' I say give him the armband! Give him whatever to get him in the team!
It's just so exciting for every Irish fan watching. We've been crying out for someone like this who can find the back of the net regularly, playing in the Premier League, playing in a team that's challenging for Champions League football - it's not that he's scrapping at the relegation end.
He's a number nine, he can drop off into the number ten position, similar to Harry Kane with all of his brilliant positions.
Stephen Kenny will be torn about 'should I start him or should I not?' I think the position we're in this year, we haven't got a lot of Premier League players. This guy, maybe going back to Robbie Keane when he was 17-18, Mick McCarthy said 'just go and play!'
Fellow Irishman Damien Delaney was present on the Premier Sports punditry team, and he gave a more in-depth explanation of what it was that made Ferguson so similar to Kane, who even at 29 stands as one of the Premier League's greatest ever strikers.
He could be our knight in shining armour riding over the hill, that type of focal point player that carries himself in an ultra-confident way. He's not phased by anything, not first team football from such a young age.
I agree with Shay - there are shades of Harry Kane about him when you watch him. The same language, movement, same kind of drops in and link-up. He's got the lot. I agree - straight into the Ireland team.
It would be a huge vote of confidence in Evan Ferguson to see him named to start against France on March 27 - but it would be hard to say he has not earned it, based on his performances so far this season.
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