Thursday 8 October 2015 23:49, UK
England boss Roy Hodgson wants Harry Kane to take the opportunity to cement his place in the national team over the next four days.
Kane will lead the line for England in their European Qualifier on Friday against Estonia because Wayne Rooney has an ankle injury.
The 29-year-old has also been ruled out of the trip to Lithuania for the final match of the campaign, having already secured their place in the Euro 2016 finals.
Kane has scored just one Premier League goal this season, but Hodgson has faith in the Tottenham forward, who was also representing the U21 team during the summer.
Kane's first goal of the current campaign came on England duty when he made a swift impact off the bench to score in 6-0 victory over San Marino.
"This is a big opportunity for him," the England manager said of Kane, who found the net 31 times last term.
"He's waited a long time for his chance, not least through the U21 Championship, but when he got his chance he scored with his first touch.
"It's now, this autumn, that we have him exclusively to ourselves. We believed in him. He's got a good career ahead of him, so it's a nice he'll get an opportunity.
"With Wayne out, he's in pole position."
Another forward who will be given a chance to stake a claim for a place in Hodgson's team for the finals in France is Theo Walcott.
The 26-year-old has scored four goals for Arsenal this season, but on Friday he will be deployed as one of the wide men in a front three containing Kane, and possibly Raheem Sterling.
Much has been expected of Walcott since his shock inclusion in Sven-Goran Eriksson's 2006 World Cup squad at the age of 16, but, other than a memorable hat-trick against Croatia in 2008, the Gunners forward has enjoyed few successful performances in an England shirt.
"He has all the things an England player needs, but he's had an awful lot of injuries, so it's been a stop start career," said Hodgson, who was without the former Southampton player at the 2014 World Cup due to a knee injury.
"Sometimes he's been there, sometimes not. Since coming back from the latest injury and having a chance to start a few games for Arsenal, he's shown the qualities he has.
"We want to tap into those qualities. We hope he does for us what I've seen him do for Arsenal."
Watch highlights of England v Estonia at 10pm on Friday night on Sky Sports 2 HD.
