England heads into its must-win Euro 2008 qualifier against Israel on Saturday with a long list of missing regulars: Wayne Rooney, Frank Lampard, Gary Neville, David Beckham and Kieron Dyer all cannot play, while Steven Gerrard, John Terry, and Owen Hargreaves are all struggling to reach full fitness ahead of Saturday’s crucial match at Wembley. The Lions then travel to Moscow to play Russia the following Wednesday.
Gerrard has a broken toe, which means he could need a painkilling injection prior to playing — something Liverpool, his employer, is reluctant to allow. Terry has been ill and Hargreaves had to pull out of training on Wednesday with a thigh problem. Gerrard also missed training this week. After a scan, McClaren said that Hargreaves should be fit to play, while Terry has also recovered, but the status of Gerrard is less certain.
England certainly cannot afford any more injuries as it heads into “a four-day period that could decide whether it qualifies for the tournament in Austria and Switzerland,” says the AP. The Lions have won its past two qualifiers against Estonia and Andorra, but now face two teams that are ahead of them in the standings.