Fabio Capello has hinted at pairing Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard in the central midfield for England at the World Cup.

They might be two of the national team’s best players but getting the best out of both of them at the same time proved beyond Sven-Goran Eriksson and Steve McClaren.

It was only when Capello began to use Gerrard in a more attacking role wide on the left that a solution was finally found.

However, with Gareth Barry’s presence in South Africa dependent on recovery from an ankle injury he will have a scan on later today, Capello could not have failed to be impressed by the control Gerrard brought to a patchy England performance when he was switched back into the centre during half-time of a 3-1 win over Mexico.

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Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard believes that the derby win over Everton over the weekend was just the right medicine to kick start their stuttering season.

The Reds won local bragging rights at Anfield on Saturday as Dirk Kuyt’s close-range header 10 minutes after half-time proved the difference.

Gerrard was happy with all three points and the team’s display, especially as Liverpool had to play most of the match with 10 men after the sending-off of Sotirios Kyrgiakos.

And with confidence high, the Liverpool skipper hopes his team can keep up the momentum and finish the campaign well.

“You always enjoy beating your local rivals but it was the way we did it that was really satisfying, particularly after losing a man after half an hour,” Gerrard said. “I thought we showed fantastic character, a great attitude and I also thought we played some decent stuff at times. I thought it was a fully deserved win.

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Just when Rafa Benitez thought things couldn’t get worse for Liverpool, he is now facing the prospect of being withou his star players Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard.

The pain felt around Anfield following on Wednesday’s shock extra-time FA Cup defeat by second division Reading, was compounded Thursday by news that Torres, Gerrard and Yossi Benayoun had all sustained injuries during the 2-1 extra-time loss.

Torres, who lasted barely half an hour at Anfield, faces the longest lay-off of the trio.

The Spain striker is set to be sidelined for six weeks with a knee injury while inspirational club captain Gerrard, substituted at half-time, is expected to be out for a fortnight with a hamstring injury.

Meanwhile, Israeli playmaker Benayoun – one of Liverpool’s better players in a terrible season so far for the Merseysiders – sustained a fractured rib against Reading and could be unavailable for at least a month.

Torres is to undergo an operation but England midfielder Gerrard may not need surgery.

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Steven Gerrard has won the Football Writers’ Association (FWA)’s player of the year award for the first time.

The Reds captain saw off challenges from Manchester United’s Ryan Giggs, Wayne Rooney, Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand to secure top spot in a poll of FWA members.

The 28-year-old has spent most of this season playing as a second striker, forging an exhilarating partnership for Liverpool with Fernando Torres. He has scored 23 goals in all competitions and become the club’s record scorer in European competition.

“We are delighted to honour Steven’s contribution this season with our prestigious award,” said FWA chairman Steve Bates.

“Steven has had a fantastic season and has so often been the driving force behind Liverpool’s forceful challenge for the Premier League title.

“Steven is viewed by the football writers who voted as the heartbeat of Liverpool’s team and a player who gives everything for the cause.”

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Liverpool will face Arsenal tonight at Anfield without the services of their captain Steven Gerrard.

The England midfielder is expected to be ruled out for a further seven to 10 days with the groin problem that has forced him to miss Liverpool’s last two matches.

A draw for Liverpool at Anfield would see them go top of the table although champions Manchester United would regain first place if they defeated Portsmouth at Old Trafford on Wednesday.

Arsenal will be without their top scorer Robin van Persie (groin) and fellow striker Emmanuel Adebayor (hamstring).

However, full-back Bacary Sagna has recovered from a virus and could feature at Anfield, along with fit-again Croatia forward Eduardo.

Lukasz Fabianski, who had a shaky match during Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final loss to Chelsea, is set to continue to deputise for the injured Manuel Almunia (ankle) while defenders Gael Clichy (back), William Gallas (knee) and Johan Djourou (knee) are all out of action.

Arsenal are fourth in the table and seemingly assured of qualification for next season’s Champions League now that they are seven points ahead of Aston Villa.

Gunners manager Arsene Wenger may be tempted to rest key players ahead of Arsenal’s Champions League semi-final with United.

Sir Alex Ferguson, who himself fielded what was all but a reserve side during United’s FA Cup semi-final loss to Everton last weekend, was banking on his French rival’s competitiveness.

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Steven Gerrard, star England and Liverpool midfielder, denied taking part in a bar brawl last year that left a businessman injured.

The Liverpool captain was arrested in the early hours of Dec. 29 after police were called to the Lounge Bar nightclub in Southport, north of Liverpool in northwest England.

Company director Marcus McGee, 34, required hospital treatment after receiving facial injuries.

At Liverpool Crown Court on Friday, Gerrard, 28, pleaded not guilty to a charge of affray in relation to the incident, the Press Association reported.

The incident occurred following Gerrard’s man-of-the-match performance in a 5-1 win over Newcastle United in which he had scored twice.

Gerrard signed a new two-year contract extension on Friday that will keep him at Anfield until at least 2013, and Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has said the club are fully behind their captain.

Liverpool are second in the Premier League, a point behind Manchester United and would go top on Saturday if they avoided defeat at Fulham, at least until Manchester United play Aston Villa on Sunday.

Source: supersport.co.za

Steven Gerrard have indicated that he is now happier than ever in his career and is ready to sign a contract extension with Liverpool.

The Reds skipper is looking to cap an amazing fortnight by helping England overcome Slovakia in a friendly at Wembley on Saturday before the crucial World Cup qualifier against the Ukraine on April 1 as Fabio Capello’s team look to maintain their 100% start to Group Six.

He could hardly be in a more confident mood.

Having helped dump Real Madrid out of the Champions League, beaten Manchester United at Old Trafford and score a hat-trick in the five-goal hammering of Aston Villa on Sunday, Gerrard suddenly finds himself leading a team with realistic ambitions of winning the Barclays Premier League.

It is a far cry from the dark days when it seemed Liverpool would never threaten at the top end of the table and joining Chelsea looked like a far more attractive option.

“I have never been happier throughout my whole career than I am at the moment,” Gerrard said.

“I have two years left on my contract and if there was a chance to extend it, I am sure I would.

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Liverpool‘s chances for a first English Premier League title since 1990 were given a boost last week with the win over Chelsea.

But Reds boss Rafael Benitez faces a test of his squad’s strength in depth as he seeks to keep the momentum going at Portsmouth on Saturday, less than 72 hours after a gruelling, extra-time FA Cup defeat by Everton.

With Manchester United not in action until Sunday’s trip to in-form West Ham, Benitez’s men can return to the top of the table — temporarily at least — by taking all three points at Fratton Park.

But the required victory will have to be secured without influential skipper Steven Gerrard, who tore a hamstring muscle early in the Everton defeat and is facing a three-week lay-off at least.

Benitez may also feel that star striker Fernando Torres, who looked distinctly weary in that match, may not be up to a third start in the space of seven days, a situation which will inevitably raise further questions about the wisdom of selling Robbie Keane back to Tottenham this week.

Portsmouth, with just two wins in 15 matches since Tony Adams took over as manager, are hoping for a boost from the arrival of Greek duo Angelos Basinas – who arrived in a deadline-day switch from AEK Athens – and Theofanis Gekas, on loan from Bayer Leverkusen.

First-team coach Johnny Metgod is backing the pair to lift the gloom around the club.

“Gekas has got a very good goalscoring record, not only in Greece but in Germany, and Basinas is a very clever, intelligent midfield player,” Metgod reported.

Chelsea welcome back key defender Ricardo Carvalho from injury as they attempt to put their title bid back on track at home to Hull, and the Portugal centreback believes the Blues will also get a boost from the involvement of his international team-mate Ricardo Quaresma.

The winger has been signed on loan from Inter Milan and Carvalho is backing him to provide the imaginative spark Chelsea have lacked of late.

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