IN-FORM Cherries striker Joshua King has been named in the first Norway squad selected by new head coach Lars Lagerbäck.

King will be hoping to earn his 28th full cap for his country when they face Northern Ireland in a World Cup qualifier in Belfast a week on Sunday.

The Oslo-born frontman has scored seven times for Norway and plundered his maiden Premier League hat-trick in Cherries’ 3-2 win over West Ham on Saturday.

Respected boss Lagerbäck, who managed Sweden for nine years, replaced Per-Mathias Hogmo in February following Norway’s disappointing start to their qualifying campaign.

The 68-year-old masterminded Iceland’s shock progression to the quarter-finals of Euro 2016 – their first major tournament – when they beat England in the last 16 before going out to hosts France.

Norway have won just one of their first four qualifiers with King completing the scoring in a 4-1 victory over San Marino in Oslo in October.

He also netted a consolation in their 2-1 defeat by Czech Republic in Prague in November and started in defeats by Germany and Azerbaijan.