Sean Longstaff stars for Newcastle... but how did he go under the radar?

Sean Longstaff was playing Under-23s football in December - now he finds himself one of the most talked about young English players in the country.

The 21-year-old midfielder made his Premier League debut for Newcastle at Liverpool on Boxing Day, his elevation a result of injuries to more senior colleagues.

But Longstaff has now started the last 10 games for his boyhood club and is being touted for an England call-up.

Here, we take a closer look at the hometown hero…

Was he meant to be this good?

Without doing him a disservice, no. He is not a Phil Foden type who has been talked about since his school days, a Football Manager 'wonderkid' decorated with international honours.

It is fair to say that Newcastle supporters had not been waiting for his arrival on the senior stage with a sense of excitement, many of them would not have heard of Longstaff before this season.

That, though, makes his emergence all the more impressive. It is proof that, until tested beyond the comfort of under-age football, you just do not know how some young players will perform.

Longstaff is a wonderful example of someone who looks a better player at first-team level.

Why is that?

Longstaff's strength is the time he seems to find on the ball and the accuracy with which he then distributes it.

Watch an Under-23s game and they've all got time on the ball, it's false football where barely a tackle is made. While he looked very good at that level, it wasn't as if what he was doing was anything out of the ordinary.

To then do that amid the frenzied surrounds of the Premier League, however, is what makes Longstaff stand out. It is as if he has a slow-motion control that affords him time and space.

Remind you of anyone?

The straight back, the progressive passing, left foot, right foot… the immediate comparison is fellow Geordie Michael Carrick, and it is one Rafa Benitez has endorsed.

However, it looks like Longstaff might have goals to his game as well, and a scoring midfielder with his engine and passing range is hard to come by.

His first for the club came at Blackburn in the FA Cup last month and he followed that up with a fine volley during the 2-0 win over Burnley on Tuesday night.

He netted nine times during a loan spell at Blackpool last season, where he was often used in a more advanced role, and there were three strikes on loan for Kilmarnock the year before.

Indeed, 13 goals from 68 career games for a rookie is an encouraging return, and one that will surely only get better over time.

Imagine... Michael Carrick plus goals, now that would be a top player.

Are the England links fair?

Absolutely. Under-21s boss Aidy Boothroyd watched him at the weekend and he is almost certain to be included in a Three Lions squad next month - the only question is, which one?

Sportsmail columnist Martin Keown believes Longstaff is slightly ahead of Declan Rice, and the West Ham midfielder is in line for a senior call-up.

If anything, Longstaff and Rice would make a good pair, especially if the former was given more license to get forward, as he has proved more than capable of doing.

So what is Longstaff's background?

His dad is David Longstaff, the former ice hockey star who played more than 100 times for Great Britain, and Sean spent a lot of his childhood around the ice-hockey scene. Indeed, he admits he considered following his dad into the sport.

His younger brother, Matthew, is a promising midfielder currently impressing for Newcastle's Under-23s, while his dad's cousin is Alan Thompson, the former Celtic and England midfielder. Longstaff calls him 'Uncle Alan' and says he has been an invaluable source of advice.

And what of the future?

He signed a new four-year contract at St James' Park in November but you imagine those terms will be improved come the summer, especially if England honours are forthcoming.

But, for now, he is enjoying his unexpected emergence, much like Benitez and supporters. Long may it continue.