Townsend replaces Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling who pulled out of the squad with injury.
Crystal Palace’s Andros Townsend in action with Everton’s Seamus Coleman
Crystal Palace winger Andros Townsend has been called up by England interim manager Gareth Southgate to replace the injured Raheem Sterling for the World Cup qualifiers as reported by BBC Sport.
Townsend has started all of Palace’s games so far this season and although he’s registered just the one goal, his performances have persuaded Southgate to give the former Newcastle and Tottenham winger a recall to the national side after he was dropped from the Euro 2016 squad.
The 25-year-old has made 11 appearances for his country and scored three times as the Palace winger will hope to seize his chance in the set-up and could even start in the qualifiers against Malta on Saturday and Slovenia three days after.
The £13m summer signing replaces Sterling who has had an excellent start to the season, after the City star withdrew from the Three Lions squad with an unspecified injury picked up in the defeat to Tottenham.
The matches represent something of an audition for England Under-21 boss Southgate who has four games to prove his worth to the FA.
Following Sam Allardyce’s departure on account of the Daily Telegraph’s undercover investigations, the former Middlesbrough boss has stepped in at a time where faith in the England football team is at an all time low, with the newspaper’s allegations and the disappointing exit from Euro 2016 to Iceland still hanging over England’s heads.
Although Southgate may not be first choice among many England fans to get the job permanently due to his lack of experience, his work with the Under 21 side has been relatively impressive and four wins in charge of the senior side would win the doubters over to his suitability leading into the 2018 World Cup.
England’s Andros Townsend in action with Australia’s Matt McKay
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