Carroll - who is at Upton Park on a season-long loan from Liverpool - has impressed this season, scoring seven goals in 21 Premier League appearances.

It has not just been the striker's goals that have stood out though, with Carroll's build-up play and assists also important in West Ham's strong finish to the season, which sees them lying 10th in the table.

A top-half finish in the Premier League in the club's first season back would represent a terrific result for Allardyce, and he sang the praises of Carroll in his newspaper column in the Evening Standard.

"I see that Roy Hodgson or one of his coaching staff intend watching Andy Carroll again, perhaps even tomorrow against his former club Newcastle," he said.

"I don't blame them - he's playing consistently well for us and enjoying his football.

"His hold-up play, in particular, has improved and his continued progress is all about us feeding the right kind of ball into him.

"We know Andy is good in the air but we have to play the ball into his feet or chest, not lob it up on his head.

"The big striker hasn't gone out of fashion. Take Bayern Munich. They have Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery in wide positions providing the service and crossing the ball."

Carroll has scored four goals in his 13 England appearances.

Allardyce also championed the cause for Matt Jarvis to win another England cap, two years after his first and only appearance for his country against Ghana.

"Matt Jarvis has also been mentioned recently as a possible for England and it's interesting to see the stats from our match at Manchester City last weekend," he said.

"If you accept that most of the goals in open play come from crosses, we crossed 26 balls against City to their 15. Most of them came from Matt."