King a ‘serious option’ for Eriksson

SVEN-GORAN ERIKSSON declared Ledley King was a “serious option” as a holding midfielder at the World Cup finals against certain teams - although Alan Smith and Owen Hargreaves were also leading candidates.

Eriksson’s first-choice midfield quartet remain Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard in the centre, with David Beckham on the right flank and, so far, Joe Cole on the left.

However, he recognises that the deployment of England’s own version of Claude Makelele - as King effectively was against Poland - allows match-winner Frank Lampard as much freedom as he enjoys at club level.