Andros Townsend
Townsend has made seven starts already this season.

Tottenham Hotspur winger Andros Townsend says the increased competition for places at White Hart Lane is inspiring his charge on securing a World Cup berth with England.

Townsend spent the second half of last season on loan at Queens Park Rangers - his ninth spell away from Spurs in four years but his impressive showings, scoring two goals in 12 appearances, couldn't prevent the Loftus Road club from beating relegation from the Premier League.

The 22 year old has returned to Tottenham ahead of the new season and despite the summer signings of Erik Lamela and Nacer Chadli, has started seven of the club's 12 games this term, his latest appearance coming in the weekend draw with Chelsea.

Townsend forced himself into the England squad for the World Cup qualifying double-header against Moldova and Ukraine in September, for which he was an unused substitute in both games.

With Theo Walcott out until November with an abdominal injury and set to miss the must-win qualifiers against Montenegro and Poland, Townsend may be called upon once again by manager Roy Hodgson.

And Townsend has attributed his improvement to the competition for places this summer which has been heightened by a substantial summer transfer window investment from Tottenham amid the departure of Gareth Bale to Real Madrid.

"He [Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas] said he had been watching me not only this season but the last six months when I was at QPR," Townsend said. "He told me to continue what I am doing and I will get in the squad, so that is what I am trying to do.

"I have a tough enough battle trying to stay in this [Spurs] team. I just have to focus on Tottenham and hopefully the other rewards will come if I am still playing well. I play my game with no fear, whether it's against Ashley Cole or whoever.

"We are a match for anyone on our day. We have good squad depth, so we will be there or thereabouts at the end of the season. The lads are disappointed we didn't get the three points we deserved against Chelsea."

As well as taking advantage of Villas-Boas' new-found faith in him, Townsend is capitalising on Aaron Lennon's foot injury which has seen him side-lined since the opening weekend win over Crystal Palace.

While Lamela is yet to make a Premier League start since his club record move from Roma, Chadli has fallen out of favour of late, forced to make substitute appearances in the League Cup tie against Aston Villa and weekend draw with Chelsea, his only involvement in the match-day squad since the start of September.