Nolan form warrants a call-up, says Pardew

Newcastle Utd 1 Bolton 1

Kevin Nolan for England? The Newcastle United captain believes his chance has gone, but his manager, Alan Pardew, is not so sure.

Nolan earned Newcastle's point with his 50th Premier League goal, appropriately against the club where he scored most of his half-century.

At 28, Nolan is at his peak and the recent selection of his former Bolton team-mate Kevin Davies showed that Fabio Capello is not averse to adding more functional players to his squad. Against that, Capello has failed to visit St James' Park for more than two years and Nolan's qualities are not immediately eye-catching.

Nolan takes a realistic approach to his international prospects. He said: "England has gone. If there was ever a chance it was when [Steven] Gerrard and [Frank] Lampard and people like that were injured.

"If you don't get in the squad then, you know you won't. It is just one of those things."

Pardew is less convinced Nolan's chance has gone. "Only Gerrard and Lampard have scored as many from midfield and he is as important to us as those players are for their teams," he said.

Nolan was particularly impressive when Newcastle were reduced to 10 men by the 54th-minute dismissal of Ryan Taylor for a foul on Johan Elmander. Much of his best work for Newcastle has been in the opposition penalty area, but here he was responsible for a series of crucial interceptions at the other end.

But even Nolan, who put Newcastle ahead in the 13th minute, was unable to tame Daniel Sturridge, who scored his fourth goal in four games seven minutes before the interval. Sturridge's footwork illustrated why manager Owen Coyle is unlikely to fulfil his hopes of extending his loan from Chelsea into next season.

Subs: Newcastle S Taylor 5 (Gutierrez, 67), Ranger 6 (Lovenkrands, 67), Kuqi (Best, 90). Bolton M Davies (Muamba, 79), M Taylor (Petrov, 85).

Booked: Bolton Alonso, Wheater

Sent off: Newcastle R Taylor (54)

Man of the match Sturridge

Referee C Foy (Merseyside)

Att 48,06