Walsall defender Netan Sansara is ready to return to the Saddlers side and wants his place back from Paul Boertien.

The left-back made his comeback in the reserves’ 2-2 draw with Derby County and is available for Saturday’s League One clash at home to Peterborough.

Sansara has missed three games through suspension, following his red card at Brighton, and is desperate to make an immediate return to the first team at the expense of Boertien.

The19-year-old said: “I’ll have a word with him in training and let him know I am here. Paul has done well. I know when I am in the team he will be breathing down my neck and when he is playing I will be down his neck.

“It is a friendly battle, but everyone wants to do a good job for the manager and wants to be playing. I thought Paul was unlucky to come out of the team when I was picked but that is football and if the manager fancies me he will put me straight back in.

“It is good for the manager to have that competition for places.”

Sansara believes he is learning a lot from watching his rival play and is indebted to Boertien for his advice.

The England U18 international said: “He is top class and has played in the Premiership. I am still a young player and in training, with some of the things he does, I can only learn off him and try and build them into my game.

“He will openly help me and tell me what needs working on.”

In the meantime, Sansara was pleased with his performance in the reserves’ draw with Derby and the fact his extra training sessions have worked.

He said: “I’m glad to be back. Playing in the reserves is never the same as first team football but the extra work with John Schofield has paid off.

“Training would finish and Rhys Weston and I would be in after doing a bit extra.

“I felt good against Derby and feel I put in a good performance to give the manager something to think about.”