Jarvis gets first England call-up

Last updated : 20 March 2011 By BBC Sport

Wolves winger Matt Jarvis has been called up by England for the first time, for the Euro 2012 qualifying match against Wales on Saturday.The 24-year-old has been named in a couple of provisional squads already this season by boss Fabio Capello but failed to make the final cut.

With Theo Walcott and Adam Johnson injured, he will be competing with Aaron Lennon and Ashley Young.

As expected, Liverpool striker Andy Carroll returns to the squad.

Carroll impressed Capello when he made his debut in the friendly defeat to France in November as a Newcastle player.

The forward has since moved to Anfield in a ?35m deal but missed last month's encounter with Denmark because of a thigh injury.

The England coach always made it clear Carroll would return once he had regained his fitness.

Lennon is included for the first time since England's last qualifier against Montenegro in October.

Everton defender Phil Jagielka is back, along with Peter Crouch in a larger than usual squad that will accommodate the friendly match against Ghana at Wembley on 29 March.

It is the Wales encounter that is crucial though, with England knowing they cannot afford to drop points at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday, with Montenegro, who claiming 10 points from their opening four games in Group G.

If Jarvis is selected for either of the forthcoming games, he would become the first Wolves player to appear for England in over two decades, since striker Steve Bull won the last of his 13 caps in October 1990.

Released by Millwall as a teenager, the Middlesbrough-born winger made the grade at Gillingham, making over 100 appearances for the Kent outfit before he was snapped up by Wolves in 2007.

A key member of Wolves' 2009 promotion-winning squad, Jarvis netted his fifth goal of the season in Saturday's 1-0 defeat of Aston Villa.

Source: BBC Sport

Source: BBC Sport