The strapping Geordie forward is being backed to make the plane to Russia.
Joe Hart’s blushes were spared and Stoke City’s survival hopes dented when Andy Carroll’s clinical volley nestled in the bottom corner in the dying minutes at the Olympic Stadium. The strike cancelled out Peter Crouch’s opener; the 6 ft 7 front man pouncing on a mistake by the ex-England number one.
Injury problems aside, there has never been many doubts over Andy Carroll’s ability to trouble even the best defences. Now fit again, the Gateshead-born forward is being backed to make the England World Cup squad on the back of his cameo.
30.8% of bets since last night have been on the 29-year-old to book a spot in Gareth Southgate’s 23 man squad. Available at 40/1 yesterday, he is now as short as 16/1 in one place, with 28/1 the best price still on offer.
Carroll would certainly offer something very different to the current England front line, and he boasts two goals – one a powerful header in a 3-2 win against Sweden in Euro 2012 – in his nine International caps to date
Meanwhile, the calamitous Joe Hart did his World Cup hopes more harm following another howler, presenting Peter Crouch with a gift in the 79th minute. Bookmakers still make the stopper odds-on but he has been thrown out to 4/6 from 2/5 overnight.
Oddschecker spokesman George Elek: 'If England had Andy Carroll on the pitch against Iceland in 2016 would they have looked so toothless in the closing stages? I think not. Whether the target man is still up to the task is another question, but he would certianly give England a 'Hail Mary' option that they currently lack.'
