Andy Carroll of Newcastle United set for England call against France

Posted Monday, November 08, 2010 by theguardian.com

Andy Carroll of Newcastle United set for England call against France
Andy Carroll is set for an England call-up.

Fabio Capello wants to select Andy Carroll in his England squad for next week's friendly against France at Wembley, despite recent controversies in the Newcastle United forward's private life.

Carroll scored Newcastle's winner at Arsenal today, his sixth league goal of the season, in front of the national coach. The 21-year-old has played a prominent part in Newcastle's strong start to the season – the promoted team are fifth in the Premier League – and his form has seemed unaffected by events off the pitch.

Carroll was fined £1,000 last month after a brawl in a Newcastle nightclub and he is on bail after being charged with assaulting a former girlfriend. His trial is due to resume at Tynedale Magistrates' Court in January – his lawyer has indicated that Carroll will deny the offence and claim self-defence. Capello and the England general manager, Franco Baldini, are expected to check with the Football Association that Carroll can be selected for the game against France on 17 November.

The FA is unlikely to object to his inclusion on the grounds of the ongoing court case. Steven Gerrard was available for England selection after being charged with affray. The Liverpool midfielder was acquitted of that offence in July 2009.

Carroll, who was the subject of another story concerning his private life in a Sunday newspapertoday , scored a hat-trick in Newcastle's first win of the season, 6-0 against Aston Villa in August, and has also scored at Wolves, West Ham and Arsenal.

"What he showed today is the ability he's got," the Newcastle manager, Chris Hughton, said today. "Of course what he does have is the prowess in the air. But he showed also the running ability he's got. He's still learning the game, he's getting better. He's had his ups and downs and he gets bullied at times … but he's certainly going in the right direction."

Injuries have reduced Capello's forward options. The Italian is without Tottenham's Jermain Defoe and he has now lost the Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney, who is in the United States recovering from ankle problems, and Darren Bent. The Sunderland striker is expected to be out for three weeks with a hernia complaint.