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Lampard knock spells English nerves

Written by Ramaz Mitaishvili
Friday, 31 August 2007
Frank Lampard is likely to miss England's crucial Euro 2008 qualifiers against Israel and Russia after tearing a thigh muscle in training. Lampard, 29, suffered the injury at the end of Chelsea's session on Friday and was immediately sent to hospital for a scan that showed he has a tear in his left thigh. The London club confirmed the injury in a statement that said: "Chelsea Football Club can confirm that Frank Lampard was injured in training today and a scan has revealed that he has a tear in his left thigh. "It is too early to say how long the injury will keep him from playing. The injury is on the same leg as the toe he broke earlier this season." The midfielder will miss his club's match at Aston Villa on Sunday and is likely to be out of the Israel clash on 8 September and Russia's visit to Wembley four days later. Steve McClaren had named Lampard into his squad on Friday and the prospect of losing another key player will be a massive blow to the under-pressure England coach. David Beckham, Kieron Dyer, Wayne Rooney and Gary Neville are all missing from international duty, while Steven Gerrard is struggling with a broken toe. Gerrard has already been ruled out of Liverpool's match against Derby on Saturday and if Lampard is sidelined as well, McClaren will be forced to play Michael Carrick and Owen Hargreaves in a makeshift central midfield pairing. !