ALEX McCarthy has been handed a shock England call-up but may have to wait for his Saints debut with Fraser Forster expected to shake-off a minor injury before the trip to Arsenal a week tomorrow.

In a surprising turn of events, Three Lions manager Sam Allardyce swapped one Saints goalkeeper for another as Forster withdrew from the national side because of injury in exchange for his team-mate and deputy McCarthy.

The 26-year-old stopper is yet to play a first-team match for Saints since his £2m summer move from Crystal Palace, but despite that has managed to get a call-up.

He will join up with England as they prepare to travel to Slovakia this Sunday for their first game of the 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign.

It is a complete change of plan for McCarthy, who had been placed on a provisional standby to make his Saints debut at the Gunners after Forster was forced to return to St Mary’s.

After assessing the problem however, Saints’ medical team are understood to have established that the problem is unlikely to keep the 28-year-old out of the crucial Premier League match at the Emirates Stadium.

Forster had been set for an England start in Allardyce’s first game in charge, but instead finds himself building back up to fitness for the huge match at Arsenal, where Saints will have to vastly improve their performance if they are to get their first win of the season.

For McCarthy, the England call is likely to be a surprising moment, considering the former Reading, QPR and Leeds man hasn’t played a Premier League match since March 6, when Palace lost 2-1 to Liverpool at Selhurst Park.

Although, despite not seeing senior frontline action for five months, McCarthy has already gone some way to prove his readiness with a solid display and clean-sheet in the Checkatrade Trophy match at Charlton on Tuesday for Saints’ academy side.

McCarthy has previously been involved with the senior national squad, having been included for the friendly matches against Republic of Ireland and Brazil, in May 2013, although is yet to make an appearance.

And while McCarthy heads off on international duty, Forster will be limbering up for another epic performance at the Emirates.

In January, the St Mary’s shot stopper was in sensational form, helping Ronald Koeman’s side to a well-earned 0-0 draw, thwarting the Londoner’s array of attacking stars with a number of great saves.

It will be a big boost for Saints if Forster can be fit considering Puel’s side have experienced a slow start this term.

A disappointing two points in three games after drab home draws against Watford and Sunderland as well as a 2-0 defeat to Manchester United has left many fans worried about the team’s new tactics under the new manager.