Aston Villa forward Gabriel Agbonlahor has explained how he took out his frustration at missing out on his first England cap on Reading.The 21-year-old had been named in Fabio Capello's first squad earlier in the month but had to miss the friendly with Switzerland after damaging a hamstring in an unexpected reverse at Fulham.
He also missed his side's demolition of Newcastle but returned in style at the Madejski Stadium on Sunday as Villa moved closer to European qualification with a 2-1 win.
He said: "It was a massive disappointment having to miss out on England. I couldn't believe it had to happen that week of all weeks.
"Going up to the Fulham game I thought to myself 'don't get injured' because going to meet up with the England squad was going to be the best moment of my life. Then it happened. At least it wasn't a long term injury, it was only a couple of weeks, so hopefully I can get that chance again.
"I was very down about being just moments away from it but my dad just said 'if he's put you in that squad then you will get the chance again' and I just have to concentrate on playing well now I'm fit to make him do that."
His chances have already been boosted by a display that saw the Reading back-line regularly tormented by his pace, with Ashley Young also causing problems with his own ability to motor past opponents.
Agbonlahor set up Young for a first-half opener after Gareth Barry had put a penalty wide and Young then turned provider for substitute Marlon Harewood to wrap up the game with seven minutes remaining, with Nicky Shorey's stoppage-time free-kick too little, too late for the struggling home side.
Villa are now looking set for European qualification and have an eye on a Champions League spot let alone a UEFA Cup berth.
Harewood had a brief taste of the latter competition with West Ham last term but reckoned Villa boss Martin O'Neill was more likely to take him further.
Reading's only aim is to avoid relegation and this defeat was their eighth in a row in the Premier League.
Not a single point has been picked up since Boxing Day and manager Steve Coppell admitted he was at a loss to explain why a team that beat Liverpool in December was now being rolled over with ease.
The Royals travel to Middlesbrough next week and still have to play Fulham and Derby, the only teams below them, but Coppell admitted his players now had to emulate the club directly above them, Birmingham, by taking a point off Arsenal.
He said: "With 11 games to go we have six against teams I still consider to be in our division as it were - the eight or nine at the bottom. We need to get a return from those games but critically we need to do something beyond what we have done so far.
"We need to win away from home because if you don't it is just too much pressure on our home games. And we need to do what Birmingham did against Arsenal.
"I know that was in special circumstances but we need to pick up a result, even if it is one point, that would be psychologically more important than the actual effect on the table.
"We need to pick up a result against one of the bigger teams. We picked up three against Liverpool but that kind of performance seems to be long gone now."
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