Eriksson calls up Johnson and Downing
Sven-Goran Eriksson tonight handed Crystal Palace striker Andy Johnson and Middlesbrough winger Stewart Downing their first England call-ups for next week’s friendly against Holland.
With Alan Smith and Darius Vassell injured, Johnson was given his first England summons after scoring 16 times for Palace already this season, with 15 of those goals making him the leading English scorer in the Premiership.
Downing, 20, was meanwhile promoted from the Under-21 squad along with Chelsea’s Glen Johnson, who is – bizarrely – suspended next week for the Under-21s after being sent off in Spain last November, but is still eligible for the senior side.
Eriksson did suffer an injury blow with Rio Ferdinand, whose hamstring problem he had known about for the past week, joining Sol Campbell on the sidelines.
But while that leaves John Terry set to partner Ledley King in central defence - with another injury doubt over Matthew Upson – Johnson and Downing will both be hoping to make their debuts as second-half substitutes.
Eriksson revealed: “It’s very exciting to have players like Andy Johnson and Stewart Downing coming through and we have this friendly game to take a look at them.
“With these two and Shaun Wright-Phillips – who isn’t new to the squad but is almost new – we have some very interesting options to pick from.”
