But the Liverpool forward is more concerned about the impact on his club career as he approaches the closing stages of a difficult second season that he hopes will not be his last at Anfield.
Crouch has been Liverpool's leading goalscorer in all competitions, with 13 goals, but he has been left out of the starting line-up for four of the past five matches. With the planned acquisition of a top-class forward such as David Villa, of Valencia — in addition to Andriy Voronin, the Ukrainian, who will sign from Bayer Leverkusen — only Dirk Kuyt is safe among Liverpool's four senior forwards, but Crouch rejects the notion that he has fallen below the standards required at Anfield.
"It gets a bit annoying when people talk about Liverpool needing a regular goalscorer," Crouch said. "I feel that when I've played this season, I've scored goals and certainly at the start of the season I was on a good run with my country as well." Crouch will miss the Barclays Premiership match away to Aston Villa, his former club, on Sunday, but, with Liverpool likely to request his omission from the England squad for the qualifying ties, he should return for the home match against Arsenal on March 31.
Everton, meanwhile, are preparing to offer a new contract to Mikel Arteta, despite there being two years remaining on his present deal. New contracts will also be offered to Alan Stubbs and Lee Carsley, whose deals expire in June, but Richard Wright, the former England goalkeeper, will be allowed to leave on a free transfer.