Gerrard feared England axe

STEVEN GERRARD admitted he feared being dropped by Sven-Goran Eriksson after the lowest point of his England career in the 1-0 defeat by Northern Ireland.

Gerrard described his recent international displays as "very average", while confessing that his central midfield partnership with Frank Lampard had "not set the world alight."

However, he vowed to make amends for his own shortcomings, as well as the team's "embarrassing" display in Belfast, in the final two group ties against Austria and Poland.