Roy Hodgson has dropped his biggest hint yet that Andy Carroll is likely to take centre-stage for England at Euro 2012.

The England striker has been given the No 9 shirt which indicates he is favourite to place of the suspended Wayne Rooney against France and Sweden.

No 9: Andy Carroll has taken the shirt traditionally worn by star strikers

Meanwhile Gary Cahill has taken the No 5 shirt, insinuating he will line up alongside his Chelsea colleagues John Terry and Ashley Cole in England's defence.

Carroll endured a tough season for Liverpool and many thought he would not make the squad, but a late surge in form saw Hodgson select the target man ahead of other options like Peter Crouch and Daniel Sturridge.

Carroll played reasonably well against Norway, laying on Ashley Young's goal, and will hope to get on the scoresheet himself against Belgium on Saturday.

The £35million player only scored four Barclays Premier League goals in 2011-12, but now looks set to be the man to lead England into battle against France on June 11.

The 23-year-old striker insists he can use the tournament to prove his worth to both his club and his country.

'I was delighted to be in the squad. The manager wants a big man up front and he’s picked me, so it’s great,' he told The Sun.

'Now I’ve got a chance to show what I’m about. The fee didn’t bother me, I always believed in myself.

'But things weren’t going for me and I didn’t play as many games as I hoped for Liverpool.

'But finally I did get a run in the side towards the end of the season. I did well, got my confidence up and now I’m here.

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