ENGLAND manager Gareth Southgate said Burnley goalkeeper Nick Pope fully deserves his first call up to the Three Lions squad after calling up the Clarets stopper and Turf defender James Tarkowski.

It is a first call up for the uncapped pair and caps a remarkable campaign for both players, who are enjoying their first season as regulars in the Premier League.

The call-ups take the number of Clarets named in England squads in recent years to five, with the duo following in the footsteps of Tom Heaton, Michael Keane and Jack Cork.

Southgate said Pope’s form since replacing the injured Heaton in September had justified his inclusion in the squad.

“Nick’s form has been excellent,” the England boss said. “It’s great credit to Burnley and Sean that we’ve got two of their defensive unit in the squad, it shows the work they do.

“Nick isn’t a player we’ve worked with, our other three goalkeepers have huge experience at either senior international level or junior international level.

“We need to find out a bit more about Nick, because if we lose one of our more senior goalkeepers we don’t want to be bringing a new player in at the end of the season, and his form justifies coming into the mix.”

Southgate also said that the inclusion of Tarkowski, along with Swansea’s uncapped defender Alfie Mawson, showed an element of planning for the future with Chelsea centre back Gary Cahill missing out on a call up.

On his defensive decisions the England boss said: “We have other players that I want to have a look at - Tarkowski and Mawson who are players we want to look at not just for now but beyond the summer as well. Maybe they are ready for the World Cup but is beyond that as well.”

England face Holland and Italy later this month and Pope and Tarkowski will hope to win their first caps in Amsterdam on March 23 or at Wembley on March 27.

Lewis Cook is another uncapped player to be included in the England squad while there was no place for former Claret Michael Keane or Chris Smalling.

Star man Harry Kane’s ankle injury compounded a selection headache for the Three Lions boss who has selected a 27-man squad for the games.

Jack Wilshere, who last played for his country in the Euro 2016 exit to Iceland, has been rewarded for his form and game time at Arsenal, while Southgate has selected Joe Hart despite his lack of minutes at West Ham.