ONE

goal off the bench after more than three months out, and suddenly people are talking about Andy Carroll making England’s World Cup squad.

You know what? It may not be as daft as it looks at face value.

England coach Gareth Southgate is not so blessed with options up front that he can afford to simply dismiss the claims of an old-fashioned centre forward like Carroll (right).

After Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy, Marcus Rashford and maybe Danny Welbeck, who is knocking the door down to make Southgate’s front line in Russia?

Carroll’s equaliser against Stoke was a reminder that, as a Plan B, there are few better alternatives if you need to throw on a big striker to cause havoc against tiring defenders late on.