DAVE KITSON, of Reading, and Aston Villa’s Gabriel Agbonlahor are the uncapped new faces in the frame for Fabio Capello’s first squad as England manager, to be announced next Saturday.

Capello will take another week to finalise selection for his baptism in international management, in the friendly which brings Switzerland to Wembley on February 6, and will select a larger squad than usual, as a getting-to-know-you exercise.

One of Capello’s aides said last night: ‘Fabio has watched him [Kitson] twice [most recently against Manchester United last weekend], and he is the leading English goalscorer in the Premier League.’ Reading’s principal striker, who is 28, has scored eight times in 20 league appearances this season. Agbonlahor is 21 and due to step up from the under21s. He is only one goal behind Kitson this season, with seven in 23 league games.

Recognition for Kitson would be the bigger surprise, given the competition and the fact that so few players from unfashionable Reading have been capped by England. Nicky Shorey was the third and last.

Other uncapped players in with a chance include West Ham’s Carlton Cole and Dean Ashton, who would have made his debut before now but for injuries, and Manchester City’s 20-year-old keeper, Joe Hart.

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