West Ham manager Slaven Bilic says there are very few midfielders in England playing better football than Mark Noble.

The Hammers boss insists his captain is well worthy of an England call-up, despite Three Lions manager Roy Hodgson overlooking him for a 40-man get together at St George’s Park earlier this week.

At 28, Noble has yet to earn an England cap but he has been in sparkling form for his club this season, helping West Ham up into sixth spot in the Premier League and into the FA Cup fifth round following the midweek win over Liverpool at Upton Park.

His form has not yet caught the eye of Hodgson but Bilic, himself an experienced international manager, believes Noble is being unfairly overlooked.

“I was manager of a national team for six years,” said Bilic. “People would say this and that from the other clubs, and I didn’t mind it, but I don’t like to interfere like that.

“But what I can say is that I haven’t seen many midfielders who are having a better season than Mark Noble is having.”

Noble will be in action once more when West Ham head to Norwich on Saturday afternoon seeking a fifth Premier League win in eight games.

According to Bilic, there is another member of his first team that merits consideration for a place in the England reckoning with Euro 2016 now just four months away.

“It’s not only Mark Noble. I haven’t seen a better left-back than Aaron Cresswell. So they should at least be mentioned,” Bilic added.

West Ham are on offer at 3.10 to defeat Norwich at Carrow Road where the home side are 2.38 and the draw is 3.30.