Queens Park Rangers midfielder Joey Barton has claimed that Charlie Austin would be certain to play for England if he played for a top club in the Premier League.
The 26-year-old has notched 16 goals in the top flight this season despite the R's struggles, but was not selected by Roy Hodgson for the Three Lions' Euro 2016 qualifier against Lithuania last month.
Barton feels that Austin would have definitely played for England had he been plying his trade for a team higher in the table.
He is quoted as saying by The Mirror: "It helps if you play for certain clubs to play for England. Certain people who haven't done as well as Charlie, who has scored so many goals in a struggling side, seem to be shoo-ins in the England side.
"Harry Kane is a good player and it's good to see him called up. But he is in a good side by the way that has invested a lot of money.
"Lithuania in ranking terms are a Conference team. I suppose who do you drop to put Charlie in there? But if he keeps scoring goals, they can't ignore him."
QPR earned an important victory in their quest for Premier League survival as they hammered West Bromwich Albion 4-1 at The Hawthorns.
Simon Sinclair
