West Ham United boss Sam Allardyce has backed striker Andy Carroll to earn a place in England's World Cup squad this summer.
The 25-year-old was today omitted from manager Roy Hodgson's squad to face Denmark on March 5.
Carroll was selected to face Brazil in a friendly last summer, only to pull out of the fixture with injury, but Allardyce expects his man to be on the plane when the Three Lions return to South America for the tournament in June.
"I don't see any reason why he can't make the World Cup squad," Allardyce told reporters. "It's in his hands what happens between now and the end of the season based upon his performances, when selected.
"After a disrupted first half of the season last season he got into full flow and was selected by Roy Hodgson to go to Brazil. Unfortunately, because he was injured in the last game of the season against Reading, he couldn't make that trip.
"If he does the same again then there shouldn't be any problems with Andy being in that final squad for the World Cup. He's got to stay fit, perform well and that will give him a great chance of being selected."
Carroll, who has endured an injury-hit first season with the Hammers as a permanent signing and made his first league appearance of the campaign last month, is yet to find the net for the East Londoners this season.
Shane Callaghan
