England will almost definitely be without the services of Liverpool's talismatic captain Stephen Gerrard for the World Cup 2006 qualifying match against Wales on the 3rd of September.

The player is already a serious doubt for his clubs European Championship match against CSKA Moscow, prompting Gerrard's Liverpool manager Raffa Benitez to say of his star player: "If he is not fit for Friday's match it will be dangerous to play for England. I will talk with the England manager if it is necessary."

Gerrard has already played eleven matches so far this season, and the loss of such an influential midfielder prior to the Wales match is the last thing England's under pressure manager Sven Goran Eriksson needs. With the public and press still reeling from Denmark's demolition of England by four goals to one,nothing less than a convincing victory over Wales will suffice.

The Welsh team will feel that they have a golden opportunity to get a result against their 'old foe',and their players are at least talking a good game,even a draw would be something of a victory for Mark Hughes the Wales manager, although of course, anything less than three points means that Wales could not possibly qualify for World Cup 2006 finals.

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