Tottenham striker Chris Armstrong received his first England call-up last night after Kevin Keegan was hit by the withdrawals of four high-profile players from his squad to face Poland on Saturday.

In England's worst injury crisis ahead of a competitive game for more than two years, three strikers - Michael Owen, Chris Sutton and Robbie Fowler - as well as Darren Anderton were all forced to pull out.

Keegan lost the services of David Batty and Hinchcliffe earlier this week and is also without Paul Ince through suspension. With just 16 fit outfield players at his disposal and only two of them strikers - Alan Shearer and Andy Cole - he was forced to call up another forward as an emergency replacement.

Keegan had few options with Ian Wright and Emile Heskey also injured, Dion Dublin suffering from a groin problem and Paul Merson out of form.

The only remaining injury doubt for Keegan is David Seaman, who reported for duty with a shoulder problem that kept him out of the Arsenal side earlier this season, although the England boss remains confident that his first-choice goalkeeper will still be fit.

But it all adds up to England's worst injury roll-call for a competitive game since the World Cup qualifier against Italy at Wembley on February 12th, 1997, which they lost 1-0.