Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe has been rewarded for his excellent goal-scoring form by receiving a call-up to the England squad for their upcoming matches against Germany and Lithuania.
The 34-year-old has scored 14 goals in 27 Premier League matches for David Moyes’ side this season, with many believing that he is the reason why they are not already down, and still have a fighting chance of avoiding the drop come May.
The Black Cats currently sit bottom of the table and six points from safety with just 11 games of the campaign remaining, and having netted just 24 goals in the league thus far, it’s clear that the North East side are hugely reliant on Defoe’s goals.
And he has been rewarded by being named in Gareth Southgate’s squad for their friendly against Germany on March 22, as well as the 2018 World Cup qualifier against Lithuania four days later.
It has been over three years since the striker last played for his country (it was a friendly against Chile back in November 2013), and many Sunderland fans took to Twitter to express their delight at seeing the 34-year-old return to the England set-up…
Get in there's Defoe back in the England squad #safc
— Thomas Harland (@ThomasHarland) March 16, 2017
https://twitter.com/HodgeSAFC/status/842371572375666688
Great to see a call up for Jermain Defoe, well deserved after both this season and last season's efforts #safc
— Richard Shotton (@rshotton90) March 16, 2017
With many feeling that it was long overdue for the forward, who netted 15 goals in 33 Premier League games for Sunderland last time out as well…
https://twitter.com/TMALBRGHTN/status/842371145462624256
https://twitter.com/KerrieWilkinson/status/842371600636862467
While there was a clear message to Defoe from many Black Cats supporters…
https://twitter.com/KitchingAndy/status/842367501187067905
https://twitter.com/spartacus_safc/status/842333663744385025
So now #Defoe has his recall (deserved) What's the odds he gets injured as most players do and in turn confirms our relegation #safc #odds
— Stevie (@bigsteviedove) March 16, 2017
In before Defoe gets injured on England duty and we all have mental breakdowns #SAFC
— JL (@JLambert55) March 16, 2017