England U21 coach Stuart Pearce believes Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor will return for his club in goal scoring form.

After being left out of the England squad, Agbonlahor will play with the U21s in friendlies against France and Norway and Pearce insists he is performing well at present.

"There are no problems with him mentally. He has been fine, no problems at all," Pearce said of the man who has scored just once in his last 16 matches.

"It is important for young players to understand that they are going to have lifts and dips in form, and you just have to accept that.

"But there has to be people around them that can help them out at club level, where Gabby has a fantastic manager in Martin O'Neill that has seen everything before.

"Gabby has hardly missed a game for Aston Villa in the last three years or so, and of course players get disappointed when they don't play or things aren't going their way, but to sit and watch a game at Liverpool I don't think will do him any harm and I think he will be stronger for it.

"He has a slight injury at the moment that might keep him out on Friday, but it might not. But he is here and with us and he wants to be part of this now and in the summer."