Manchester City's man of the moment Adam Johnson should be called into England's World Cup squad - as a left winger.

That's the viewpoint put forward by Blues defender Joleon Lescott as the battle for places hots up following the injury that has put David Beckham out of the tournament.

Lescott reckons the 22-year-old is from the same mould of young English talent which has produced Wayne Rooney and Theo Walcott.

Johnson's cameo performance and brilliant equaliser at Sunderland proved to have been as perfectly timed as it was executed with news arriving within hours that Beckham was out of the reckoning for South Africa.

With Aaron Lennon struggling with an injury, Walcott trying to find form and Johnson, an £8m buy in the January transfer window, surely moving ahead of Shaun Wright-Phillips in the City pecking order, the seat on the plane may yet have Johnson's name on it.

Lescott feels that people are overlooking the fact that Johnson is actually a left-sided, left-footed player.

Roberto Mancini has preferred to play Johnson on the right - a preference which was justified as he cut inside onto his left foot before curling a precise shot into the top corner.

But for years England have been crying out for a natural left-sided midfielder and Lescott feels that Johnson fits the bill.

Johnson himself has modestly described this summer's tournament as coming too soon for him but Lescott feels he is doing himself down.

"Hopefully, he will be in the England squad with me in the near future," said the big Blues defender. "If he keeps producing that kind of form, why not?

Johnson potential

"Everyone knows how good a player he can be, and he has shown that potential on a consistent basis for us.

"I don't see it as too late for him to get into the England squad for the World Cup. If he's doing it on a regular basis for City, he could make it.

"He might see it differently, but at the moment there is an opportunity for someone to play on the left wing for England and for me he is as good as anyone in the Premier League.

Johnson built a reputation for himself at Middlesbrough as a goalscoring winger, but Lescott feels he has plenty of attributes.

"He takes the ball under pressure and is the kind of a player who can make things happen, like Craig Bellamy and Shaun Wright-Phillips," he said.

"We are blessed with the wide players we have in the City squad.

"I would definitely put him in the same ability bracket as other young players who have come through like Theo Walcott and Wayne Rooney, but he has to believe in himself and continue to do what he has been doing."

Johnson arrived as a £8.5m buy in the January transfer window and admits he was a little star-struck on his first day, gazing around the dressing room at the likes of Carlos Tevez and Emmanuel Adebayor.

But Lescott says he slotted into the group immediately, adding: "He settled in straight away, as I did. The boys have been great and made him feel welcome, and no-one has been the least bit surprised at what he is doing on the pitch because we knew what type of player he is.

"He is another person to come off the bench or to start a game, and he can make a difference. We know at any given time we can change wingers, and change personnel."

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