Steve McClaren’s England will be without Chelsea’s left-backs Ashley Cole (suspended) and Wayne Bridge (injured) for the crucial Euro 2008 qualifier with Israel in Tel Aviv on March 24.

Bridge underwent knee cartilage surgery late on Tuesday evening and will be out for several weeks. Cole is back as the first-choice from his recent knee injury for Chelsea, but he is suspended for Three Lions’ must-win match.

Bridge had pain in his knee for about three weeks and “a scan confirmed that he had a tear in the meniscus,” the Blues doctor Bryan English said.

English added: “We thought we may be able to leave it to the end of the season but it got to the stage where (Bridge) was struggling to do a flat-out sprint so we thought it would be best to get it done.”

England are battling to qualify for the European Championship 2008 in Austria and Switzerland.

Croatia have 10 points from four games, two ahead of Russia and three in front of England and Macedonia.

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