Sunday 15 March 2020 08:42, UK
Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti has backed in-form striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin to receive an England call-up, insisting he has the "quality" to play international football.
Calvert-Lewin has scored nine Premier League goals this season, four of them coming since Ancelotti's arrival in December, including the equaliser in Saturday 1-1 draw at West Ham.
With captain Harry Kane and fellow forward Marcus Rashford both set for lengthy spells on the sideline, England manager Gareth Southgate may look at 22-year-old Calvert-Lewin as an option to lead the attack.
Ancelotti said: "Of course he can play for England, no doubt for this. England has fantastic strikers, he has to fight, but I think he has the quality and possibility to be a great striker for England.
"I don't have to tell Southgate to look at Dominic because he already did this. Dominic is doing really well, he has to keep going.
"He's showing good quality in this moment. His feeling in this period is really good, and after that Southgate has his own right to decide this.
"He works really hard. I think he has to be focused more. He has to stay in the box because there he is really dangerous."
Everton host Newcastle at Goodison Park in the Premier League on Tuesday night, having picked up 10 points from Ancelotti's first five Premier League games in charge.
However, they will be without star forward Richarlison for the second consecutive match, as well as Gylfi Sigurdsson, Alex Iwobi and possibly Michael Keane.
Ancelotti added: "Richarlison trained today but he still has pain, so is not available tomorrow.
"Iwobi is doing well but we do not want to take a risk for the game tomorrow. He will stay here to train. Sigurdsson is out.
"Michael Keane trained today, he was not too comfortable - if he is in the squad, we are going to decide tomorrow."
