Mason wants to cement England spot

Tottenham midfielder Ryan Mason has aspirations of becoming indispensable under England manager Roy Hodgson.

Mason was recalled to the national squad for the international friendly against France on November 17 but was an unused substitute in the 2-0 win at Wembley Stadium.

The 24-year-old has returned to stiff competition for a place in Tottenham’s midfield after recovering from a knee injury suffered in September, with Eric Dier, Dele Alli and Mousa Dembele all in superb form.

However, Mason remains confident he can win back his place in Mauricio Pochettino’s side

“This gaffer is probably one of the best around for giving young players the opportunity and exposure to play in the Premier League,” Mason told Sky Sports.

“You trust these players. If you’re good enough you’ll play. Age is irrelevant, experience is irrelevant. You get that experience from having the exposure and playing.

“It’s great for the England international team. For the France game we had five Tottenham players involved and the possibility to have seven or eight in the squad is likely.

“I’m working hard to get back in there and I’m confident of my ability. There are plenty of talented English midfielders so it’s down to me to put in the performances to make it impossible for the England manager not to include me.”

Tottenham – fifth in the Premier League table and unbeaten since the first day of the season – face struggling champions Chelsea at White Hart Lane on Sunday.

Mason is eager to play down the team’s terrific form, amid talk of a title challenge.

“We can’t get carried away with ourselves. We’ve been doing brilliantly recently but football can change quickly,” he said.

“We are young, we are eager to learn and we are working hard on the training pitch. The gaffer isn’t going to mention winning the Premier League.

“Chelsea’s experience beat us on the day in the League Cup final last season, but we are not looking for so called revenge. We want to continue doing well for ourselves and doing well for the club and the fans.

“Let’s not forget they won the league last year. We know it’s going to be difficult but we are confident we can beat anyone at the moment, especially at the Lane.”