Villas Delfouneso gets Under-21s call

Nathan Delfouneso has been brought into the England Under-21 squad for next month's European Championship after Callum McManaman pulled out injured.

Uncapped Wigan winger McManaman was the stand-out inclusion in Stuart Pearce's squad for Israel when it was announced on Tuesday.

However, the 22-year-old damaged ankle ligaments in that night's 4-1 defeat at Arsenal and, although he will not need an operation, faces three months on the sidelines.

McManaman's withdrawal has seen Pearce swiftly move to bring in Aston Villa forward Delfouneso, who was part of the Under-21 squad for Euro 2011 in Denmark.

"Nathan was very unfortunate not to make the squad in the first place," Pearce said.
"He has contributed a great deal to the Under-21s in qualification and he was unlucky that Callum McManaman's form was such that he had forced his way into the reckoning late on."
England kick-off Euro 2013 against Italy in Tel Aviv on June 5.