Carragher receives England call-up

England have called Jamie Carragher into their plans for the final two matches of their summer programme against Serbia and Montenegro…

England have called Jamie Carragher into their plans for the final two matches of their summer programme against Serbia and Montenegro and Slovakia.

The Liverpool defender will join up with the squad in La Manga on Sunday for a five day training camp.

It is the first time that Carragher, the England Under-21s most capped player, has been involved with the senior squad for 13 months.

His last appearance for Sven-Goran Eriksson was as a substitute for the friendly international with Paraguay on his home Anfield ground in April 2002.

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Injury problems denied him any chance of making the World Cup squad although he was only an outsider to be named in the final 23 and has not been picked by Eriksson this season.

Carragher, who plays predominantly at right or left-back for his club, is not a straight swap for any injured player.

But England have had only 19 players to choose from for tonight's friendly international with South Africa in Durban after John Terry pulled out with a thigh injury.

Spokesman Adrian Bevington told the Football Association's official website, www.thefa.com: "Jamie Carragher will join up with the England party in La Manga on Sunday for the remainder of their summer schedule."

It is still hoped that Chelsea star Terry will be fit enough to be part of the La Manga plans ahead of the friendly with Serbia and Montenegro on June 3 at Leicester and the Euro qualifier with Slovakia at the Riverside Stadium eight days later.