Coca-Cola Divisions: Dowie - Johnson for England

Crystal Palace boss Iain Dowie feels that striker Andy Johnson could be a future England international. Johnson has scored five times this season and has just signed a new five-year contract at Selhurst Park.

"You have the top five strikers in the Premiership, including Thierry Henry, Alan Shearer and Nicolas Anelka - and I think AJ is just outside of that.

"Could he play at international level? Yes - I'm convinced he could," Dowie told the South London Press.

"There's no doubt if he was Irish, Scottish or Welsh he would be in their sides.

"It's a shame really because he is a similar player to Jermain Defoe, who is already in the England side and is younger than AJ.

"But it's not beyond the realms of possibility that he could be picked for England."

BBC Sport