Lampard: leave me and Gerrard work it out

FRANK LAMPARD believes further focus on whether he and Steven Gerrard can combine at the heart of England’s midfield is “looking at the wrong issue” for national team success.

Manager Fabio Capello will be forced to change the side that thumped Croatia last month for Saturday’s World Cup qualifier against Kazakhstan due to a foot injury to Chelsea wide man Joe Cole.

It is believed the Italian will ditch his holding midfielder, a role filled so well by Aston Villa’s Gareth Barry in Zagreb, and instead opt to pair fit-again Liverpool captain Gerrard with Lampard in the centre.