McClaren backs Gerrard

Although Frank Lampard's groin injury is not quite as serious as had been initially reported, the Chelsea man is a definite absentee from the Israel clash, making it even more important Gerrard is part of McClaren's line-up.

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has already expressed his concern about the 26-year-old being fit enough to play as Gerrard has still only managed one game since breaking his toe in the Champions League qualifier against Toulouse three weeks ago.

For his part, Gerrard has assured McClaren he will be fit and reaffirmed that belief to fans at England's London Colney training complex yesterday.

However, given Gerrard was not part of the full session, the bullish stance has only reinforced the belief that he will have a pain-killing injection, similar to the one he took to get him through Liverpool's home draw with Chelsea immediately after the Merseysider suffered the initial injury.

''We will leave it as late as possible but I am very confident Steven will be with us on Saturday,'' said McClaren.

''We are assessing it day by day. He wants to play, I want him to play, the team does, the fans do and the whole country does.

''It is a big game and we need big players. Steven Gerrard is one of them.''

Gerrard was one of four key men to miss an interesting training session in which England's first-choice defence, lacking only skipper John Terry, who reported for duty feeling unwell last night, played in front of David James.

Given the rest of the make-up of that team, which also featured Andrew Johnson alongside Michael Owen in attack, it seemed a clear signal of McClaren's thinking, and indicated some bad news ahead for Paul Robinson.

However, McClaren cautioned against reading too much into his training-ground preferences.

''Absolutely nothing should be read into that,'' he said.

''The decision will be made later in the week.''

McClaren confirmed Lampard was now a '50-50' bet to figure against Russia next Wednesday after being immediately discharged from the England camp following scans on his thigh injury and told to return on Saturday.

It means Owen Hargreaves should start alongside Gerrard in central midfield even though the Manchester United man is not without his own injury worries.

Hargreaves missed United's entire pre-season programme, plus the first two games of the current campaign with a tendinitis problem in his knee.

The former Bayern Munich man has still not played two games in a week since his arrival at Old Trafford and was also absent from training yesterday.

McClaren does expect Hargreaves to be back today and is confident about the 26-year-old's ability to meet the physical demands placed in front of him.

''From the evidence I have seen there is no problem at all,'' said McClaren.

''He is one of the fittest guys I have seen in football.''

While the return of Emile Heskey to the England fold after a three-year absence has been reported in some quarters to be a direct result of Michael Owen's intervention, McClaren has a straightforward explanation.

Dismissed as an England candidate by the coach only three weeks ago, Heskey is now seen as the striker who, if not necessarily prolific himself, can get the best out of Owen, along with Gerrard and Joe Cole, the only proven marksmen in McClaren's entire squad.

With Peter Crouch, who, along with Rio Ferdinand and Gareth Barry, impressed above everyone else in training, suspended for the Israel encounter, Heskey offers a different option to Johnson.

With Israel expected to adopted the usual safety-first approach on their travels, the Wigan frontman could be an effective weapon for McClaren to call off the substitutes' bench.

''Emile has played with Michael before and there is evidence they have linked well together,'' said McClaren.

''Michael has also scored goals playing with Emile. It has to be remembered as well that Emile gives us different options.

''Peter Crouch is a target man as well but we have not got him for the first game.'