Aston Villa hero Dion Dublin insists Emile Heskey deserves his place in England's World Cup squad.

The Villa powerhouse has struggled to reproduce his international form in the claret and blue of his club during the past 18 months.

Heskey's popularity was hardly helped by the accidental collision which ended England captain Rio Ferdinand's World Cup involvement.

"Some of the flak that has come Emile Heskey's way is completely unfair," Dublin told the Birmingham Mail. "He gets a harsh press, which is not deserved at all. When I see people calling him a failure and things like that I wonder what they're on about.

"Do these people know what he's achieved and what a good player he is? I'm not sure they do if they're calling him a failure.

"Emile is experienced enough not to worry about what people say about him, but it would be nice if they would lay off him and get behind him for once.

"Get off his back and let him play his game because he will deliver. He could be a very important player for England at the World Cup.''