Left-back Baines has played in Everton's last 22 games

Everton defender Leighton Baines is hoping his good form at club level will see him earn his first England cap.

National boss Fabio Capello was part of an England delegation that watched a Baines-inspired Everton back-line draw 0-0 at Chelsea on Wednesday.

"If you play well and the England manager is watching that's great," Baines told BBC Radio Merseyside.

"If I keep performing well at club level then hopefully those things will take care of themselves."

Baines, 24, was part of the England squad which beat Slovakia and Ukraine in March.

His first international call-up came on the back of his most impressive spell of form for Everton since arriving at Goodison Park in a £6m deal from Wigan in August 2007.

This season Baines has managed to establish himself as David Moyes' first-choice left-back.

Over the years you try to learn to adapt to those things and do the best you can Leighton Baines

The Kirkby-born defender, who stands at 5ft 7in, may have helped his international claims with his expert marshalling of Chelsea's Didier Drogba on Wednesday.

And he said he enjoyed the challenge of going up against the muscular Ivory Coast international.

"It's difficult but it's something you adapt to when you're younger and you try and find ways of dealing with it," he said.

"I'm not the only one, Chelsea's left-back is probably the same size as well and he's pretty good at it ,so I think it's a case of looking at how other players deal with it in a similar situation.

"Over the years you try to learn to adapt to those things and do the best you can," added Baines.

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version