England coach Roy Hodgson has put Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse on notice.

Having wanted to look at Michael Carrick in the role against Scotland only for injury to thwart the Manchester United midfielder's international comeback, Hodgson also flagged up Ward-Prowse as a future alternative.

"I don't think we can have any doubts about Jack's (Wilshere) ability to play in that position," said Hodgson. "He can only do as well as he is doing against the opposition he faces.

"If one day I play him there against different opposition and he and the team get absolutely slaughtered we'd have to think about it. But I don't think we can start thinking about it before it happened.

"We were a bit unlucky this time because Michael Carrick is a player we've always liked and could also help us in that position. He was called back into the squad and we were looking forward to seeing him, maybe not in the Slovenia game but the Scotland game, but we lost him as well.

"Ward-Prowse is another player we think has got an interesting future there, but he got injured. To that extent, I don't believe I'm going to be stuck for choice."