Duo backed to push their England claims

Shawcross has already experienced international football with the Under-21s and has regularly been tipped to make the step up to the senior side.

With this week's news that Bolton defender Gary Cahill, who was on the fringes of Fabio Capello's England squad, could be out for a long time with a blood clot in his arm, Pulis sees an opening for Shawcross.

He also thinks Etherington can do a job for the national team.

"The two of them have been fantastic. Ryan is still a young lad and is learning the game all the time," said Pulis.

"Everything we have asked him to do he has stepped up to the mark and has not fallen short at all and he wants to improve.

"You can take 20 (outfield) players to the World Cup so all the more reason to take him to get him used to it.

"Etherington technically on the ball is excellent but the work and the shift he puts in when he hasn't got the ball is phenomenal.

"They (England) know where they are and they have been watching them and will be watching them from now until the end of the season.

"But the two lads have got to push their way into the side, hopefully by putting in really top performances with us.

"Who knows, there might be one or two injuries picked up along the way outside this football club which might leave the door open for them and there will be no one more delighted than me."