Newcastle United given glimpse of exciting future as eight stars seek to grab England chance

All eyes will be on the Olympic Stadium in Athens on Thursday evening as two of Newcastle United's three in-form stars wait patiently to see if tonight proves to be the night they finally earn their maiden England caps. Anthony Gordon, a personal favourite of interim boss Lee Carsley, has already began to establish himself a regular in the Three Lions' attack but Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento are waiting patiently for their time to shine.

The defensive duo, 20 and 22 respectively, are equally deserving of their call-ups for the upcoming Nations League fixtures with Greece and the Republic of Ireland after solid showings in Eddie Howe's Newcastle defence. Both are seen as the future - for both club and country - and Thomas Tuchel, who takes over the national job in 2025, knows both well from his time as Chelsea boss.

Hall, in particular, is an interesting selection - and has the most to gain from the last international break of the year. While Livramento must wait patiently for Kyle Walker to retire and then battle it out with Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back, the left-back position is Hall's for the taking should he desire it.

READ MORE: Bruno and Joelinton followed in my Newcastle United footsteps and can win Champions League place

READ MORE: Newcastle United spent £5m on me - one of my biggest regrets is only playing 14 times

The youngster can capitalise on Chelsea star Ben Chilwell being exiled at Stamford Bridge, while Manchester United ace Luke Shaw fails time and time again to stay fit. Rico Lewis, Levi Colwill and Ezri Konsa have filled in honourably in recent months on the left of Carsley's defence but Hall is on track to become his country's first-choice selection option provided he continues to build on his club showings.

This, after Howe took his sweet time easing the full-back into his plans at St James' Park. "You need to sometimes just be calm and let them develop in their own way," the Newcastle boss said earlier this month.

"We always try to push the players and try to help them, and Lewis is a really good case in point for us now to point to in the future. It was the same with Anthony [Gordon].

"You go through a period with every player and you can never look at one case and go 'that's how long it will take you'. It's all unique to the individual. But Lewis really committed to the work and now he's reaping the rewards."

From a player Newcastle slowly introduced to first-team action, to one that was thrust into the spotlight prematurely due to injuries. Lewis Miley's breakout campaign may have ended with injury issues but the midfielder is fit again and ready to go after a prolonged period on the sidelines.

Despite featuring for just a solitary minute this season, the Newcastle academy graduate has been promoted to England's under-21 setup for the very first time. Miley, 18, joins an incredibly talented group that includes Elliot Anderson, Liam Delap, James Trafford, Jarrad Branthwaite, Jarell Quansah, Archie Gray, Morgan Rogers and Tyler Dibling.

After watching the meteoric rise of Manchester United's Kobbie Mainoo, there is extra motivation there to kick on and attempt to force his way into Tuchel's plans further down the line.

Newcastle have been given a further glimpse at the future England talent they possess by continued call-ups for Leo Shahar and Trevan Sanusi, who have again taken their place in their country's under-18 squad for Friday's clash with Poland.

Shahar has captained his country at youth level on a number of occasions and, despite not seeing a single first-team minute under Howe as of yet, is tipped for big things. After all, Newcastle fended off serious interest for his signature when the right-back made the decision to leave Wolverhampton Wanderers last year.

Sanusi has wasted no time impressing either, earning sporadic minutes in Newcastle's first-team in non-competitive games in recent months. After a solid showing during a post-season trip to Australia, the tricky winger was allowed to showcase his ability in the pre-season Sela Cup in front of home supporters.

That only added to the clamour for regular game time in Howe's side - but the boss has resisted that temptation, even in three cup games this term, as he seeks to improve multiple elements in Sanusi's game at under-21 level. The player was blocked from leaving on loan so Newcastle could improve the raw talent behind the scenes.

The eighth Newcastle star to earn a call-up, again for the under-18s, is the new kid on the block - Sean Neave. The forward, 17, has been knocking in the goals for the Magpies' under-21 side and is being tipped as the next unfamiliar face to earn their chance under Howe.

The teenage goal machine has been averaging one successful strike every 51 minutes at Under-18 Premier League level and has his eyes set on Newcastle's first-team, despite limited minutes in even the under-21 side this term.