Joey Barton: 'Charlie Austin deserved England call ahead of Rickie Lambert'

Joey Barton has backed his in-form Queens Park Rangers teammate Charlie Austin for an England call some time in the near future.

The 25-year-old has struck six goals in 10 Premier League outings for Rangers this season, but failed to earn a spot in Roy Hodgson's 26-man squad for upcoming internationals.

Liverpool's Rickie Lambert, who is yet to score this season, was one of the forwards selected ahead of Austin, but Barton believes that it is only a matter of time before the red-hot striker gets the call.

"If he keeps scoring goals that does all the talking for him," the midfielder told The Mirror. "It sounds like I am going to slag Rickie Lambert off but I am not.

"I just think if you're not playing for Liverpool, who can't really hit a cow's arse with a banjo at the minute in terms of their frontline, and you can't get a game for them, how do you get in the England squad?

"Chas is a natural goalscorer. Saido Berahino is of a similar ilk. He just scores goals. And that's what the game is about. It's an art form. For him, whatever level he does it at it doesn't faze him."

The Three Lions face Slovenia in a Euro 2016 qualifier at Wembley on Saturday, before travelling north of the border to face Scotland in a friendly at Celtic Park three days later.