KEVIN KEEGAN believes that England will benefit from Alan Shearer's omission from the Newcastle side by Ruud Gullit - as the striker will have a point to prove.

Shearer's evident troubles at Newcastle, amid constant reports of a deep rift between him and Gullit, reached a new low this week when he was relegated to the substitutes' bench until the final stages of the home defeat by Sunderland.

Keegan responded by giving unqualified backing to his cap-tain when he named his England squad to face Luxembourg and Poland.

Although Keegan did not want to directly become involved in the controversy surrounding his former club, his comments were in stark contrast to those of Gullit's.

Keegan was unstinting in his praise of Shearer's abilities as he declared that the England captain was the "cornerstone" of the national side.

He said: "In the four games I've been in charge he's Shearer been outstanding and he has scored twice."

As well as publicly backing Shearer, he also gave a shock recall to Newcastle reject Stuart Pearce at the age of 37 in his 27-man squad.

Pearce, who has joined West Ham on a free transfer this season, last played for his country just over two years ago at Le Tournoi and has twice retired from internation-al football.

Chris Sutton, Darren Anderton and Steve McManaman were handed recalls, while recent Newcastle signing Kieron Dyer was also picked, but there were no places for Paul Ince or Andy Cole.

England squad to play Luxembourg and Poland: Seaman (Arsenal), Martyn (Leeds), Walker (Tottenham), G Neville (Man Utd), P Neville (Man Utd), Adams (Arsenal), Southgate (Aston Villa), Pearce (West Ham), Woodgate (Leeds), Campbell (Tottenham), Ferdinand (West Ham), Keown (Arsenal), Batty (Leeds), Dyer (Newcastle), Anderton (Totten-ham), Beckham (Man Utd), Parlour (Arsenal), Redknapp (Liverpool), Shearer (Newcastle), Fowler (Liverpool), Owen (Liverpool), Sutton (Chelsea), Sherwood (Tottenham), McManaman (Real Madrid), Sheringham (Man Utd), Phillips (Sunderland), Scholes (Man Utd).

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