• Premier League

Hughton confident Carroll will bounce back

Andy Carroll laps up the applause after scoring © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Carroll not guaranteed to start - Hughton
  

Newcastle United boss Chris Hughton believes Andrew Carroll will rediscover his form and recover from the blow of missing out on an England call-up this week.

Carroll was tipped to be in the full England side after a fine start to the Premier League season, but he was not even included in the Under-21 party for the Euro 2011 play-off against Romania.

The forward, who is due in Newcastle Crown Court later this month charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm following an incident in the city centre last December, has not scored since scoring four goals in two games against Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers in August.

He was left on the bench for Sunday's trip to Manchester City after struggling with a virus, only playing the final 13 minutes, and is without a goal in his last four games.

Hughton told the Journal: "I don't think Andy will have been affected by the fact he wasn't selected by England. There was a lot of speculation in the media and I'm sure he was aware of that, but I don't think he is upset.

"He knows he is still a young player and he is still learning. He won't worry about it. He will just get on with it. He has had a very good start to the season, but he is still developing.

"I left him out of the starting line-up at Manchester City because he had been struggling with a virus and he was a little below par, but that is normal. He is going to have ups and downs, that is natural at this stage of his career.

"He isn't going to be at his best all the time because he is a young player, and that happens.''

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.