LEIGHTON BAINES admits he has a fight on his hands to wrestle the England shirt from Ashley Cole ahead of the European Championships.

The 26-year-old feels his form over the past two seasons has been strong and that he has matched the standards set by the Chelsea left-back.

However the Kirkby-born player insists he must focus solely on playing well enough to warrant continued call-ups to the national squad and not dwell on the battle with Cole.

Baines was once again outstanding as Everton defeated 10-man Bolton Wanderers on Saturday afternoon to record back-to-back victories for the first time since September.

The full-back’s latest impressive display came at the end of a week in which team-mate Royston Drenthe described him as the world’s best – a title the modest Baines was swift to play down.

“I’m not sure I’ll go into it as first choice,” said Baines of his Euro 2012 prospects.

“My form was good last season and the season before. But at the end of the day Ashley Cole is still the number one left-back.

“He still sets the benchmark. I’m trying to push him along and just stay with it. I need to keep playing well enough to get in the squads.

“I keep trying to do the best I can. But I feel I may only be an injury away from it, which isn’t a bad thing. Although I’d never wish ill on anyone.”

“Your form ebbs and flows,” he continued.

“Sometimes you’re not playing that well, you get back to basics and it starts to come back again.

“There’s still a long way to go of the season for both of us. Sometimes we’ll be playing really well and other times maybe not.

“All I know is that it will be hard to dislodge him from that position.”