Scott Loach has retained his place in the England Under-21 squad.

The Watford stopper, who made his international debut with a brief substitute appearance during the 3-2 defeat against Ecuador last month, has been selected by Stuart Pearce for two forthcoming friendlies.

Loach is one of three keepers in the squad, but looks certain to be involved in the first game, away in Norway, on Friday, March 27, as Peterborough United’s Joe Lewis has not been selected for that match.

The second match is at home to France on Tuesday, March 31 at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground. And if the 20-year-old is selected for this fixture he is set to cross paths with the referee who decided he had conceded the infamous ‘ghost goal’ at home to Reading earlier in the season, as Stuart Attwell has been named as the fourth official.

The third keeper in Pearce’s squad is Manchester City’s Joe Hart, but there is no place for Jack Cork, who played the second half of the Ecuador defeat.