West Brom's Jake Livermore receives England call up

The 27-year-old has been included in Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate's 26-man squad for games against Germany and Lithuania later this month.

Livermore, who joined the Baggies in a £10million move from Hull City during the January transfer window, is the first outfield Albion player to receive a senior England call-up since Saido Berahino in 2014.

"It's fantastic for myself, my family and the club," said Livermore.

"But ultimately I owe a lot of it to my manager and to the players I'm playing with.

"They've been fantastic since I've got here."

And the Baggies midfielder said it was like being back at school when Tony Pulis broke him the news.

"The manager pulled me in to his office and I wasn't sure if I'd done something wrong!

"It was like being back at school!

"He gave me the news and I'm absolutely delighted.

"Hopefully I can do myself and the club proud."

If selected to play, he would become the club's first outfield England international since Steve Hunt, who featured against the former Soviet Union in June 1984.

Livermore stands to become the club's 46th England international. He earned his only England cap to date while playing for Tottenham Hotspur in a 2-1 win over Italy in 2012.

Albion boss Tony Pulis added: "I am absolutely delighted for him – he's been a pleasure to have around the club from the moment he signed and thoroughly deserves this selection.

"Jake has so much to offer and is only just really starting with us. There is a lot more to come.

"At the moment, he is still in the process of understanding exactly what we want from him in his role with us but he has all the tools to complete the task.

"It's brilliant news for the club. I am told Albion haven't had an outfield player on the pitch for England since Steve Hunt in 1984 and that's much too long.

"Let's hope Jake gets his opportunity because he deserves it."

Southgate's men take on Germany in an international friendly in Dortmund next Wednesday, March 22 before a World Cup qualifier against Lithuania at Wembley on Sunday, March 26.

Goalkeepers Ben Foster (3) and Scott Carson (1) are the only Albion players to have represented England since Hunt in 1984.