Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe recalled to England side while Jordan Pickford seals U21 place

Defoe has not played for England since 2013

Gareth Southgate is light on striking options with Wayne Rooney and Harry Kane both out with injury.

Defoe could now earn his first cap since 2013, having been overlooked by Roy Hodgson for Euro 2016 despite his role in keeping Sunderland in the Premier League.

England face Germany in a friendly at Dortmund's Signal Iduna Park on Wednesday before a World Cup qualifier against Lithuania on March 26th at Wembley.

Defoe will be competing for a place with Marcus Rashford and Jamie Vardy, who have been named as the other two natural strikers in the squad.

Jordan Pickford, meanwhile, is expected to be named in Aidy Boothroyd's U21 squad for the games against Germany and Denmark on Friday March 24th and Monday March 27th respectively.

Pickford will almost certainly take the number one jersey for those games, far ahead of Brighton's Christian Walton and Manchester City's Angus Gunn in the experience at club and international level.

Pickford has been part of the England senior squads in recent times but Southgate has gone with Joe Hart, Fraser Forster and Burnley's Tom Heaton, who will be in action at the Stadium of Light at Saturday.