Adam Wharton must earn his place in the side as Jon Dahl Tomasson stressed to the talented teenager that his opportunities will come with hard work in training.

The midfielder has had a disrupted start to 2023, with only two minutes of first-team action having been hampered by injury and then found himself unable to force his way back in.

The 19-year-old travelled with the squad to Birmingham City at the weekend, but didn’t make the bench, despite the injury to John Buckley which has reduced Tomasson’s options in the middle of the park.

Wharton has played three times for the Under-21s as part of his comeback from injury, as well in internal games, while also featuring for England Under-19s during the international break.

Opportunities have been limited on the first-team stage however, with Tyler Morton and Lewis Travis preferred in midfield, and it is now five months since his last Championship start.

And Tomasson said: “It’s a position where we are a bit stretched, we know that.

“He needs to show that every day in training that he wants to play and be professional to show that.

“The competition is there with Morton, Trav, (Jake) Garrett, Adam, Joe (Rankin-Costello) and T (Tayo Edun) who also play in other positions.

“It’s about showing the staff every day that you want to play.”

Wharton sustained an ankle ligament injury in a behind-closed-doors game in January that kept him out until last month.

He was on the bench for the FA Cup quarter final against Sheffield United, and the league game against Reading, but wasn’t involved at Birmingham.

The home grown midfielder has clocked up 14 appearances in all competitions, having made his debut in August, and many supporters have called for him to be involved again.

Tomasson admits it has taken time for Wharton to get up to speed after his injury, but felt his minutes for England Under-19s, which included one start and two substitute appearances, will have benefited him.

“When you get injured as a young boy it’s a new experience and then suddenly you need to get up to speed and that can take a bit longer time,” he added.

“You should always go into training every day to do your maximum and be the best player you can and we’re trying to help Adam in that way.

“He got some minutes for England which was nice, and great for the lad which is what you want.”