Gareth Southgate: 'First-team football not vital for Under-21s'

Gareth Southgate has said that playing regular first-team football is not vital for members of the England Under-21 side.

The Young Lions face Wales in a European Championships qualifier at Derby County's iPro Stadium tomorrow evening.

The coach told the official website of Manchester United, who have four players in the Under-21s squad: "I've not really taken a hard and fast policy on that. I've got to look at what the players' potential are and there will be some spells where they are back with the club and not getting first-team football.

"I think most of the players like the fact they're playing first-team football with something resting on the game every Saturday. Understandably, each individual club will look at the player and put them in their own first team when they feel is right or loan them when they think it's the right time. We are there to support that development process really."

England have not lost in their first six matches of the qualifying campaign.