BBC Sportfootball

There is evidence to suggest that while either Gerrard and Lampard have more freedom to perform with a holding midfielder behind them, playing them together actually stifles both.

In the 3-0 victory over Estonia in June 2007 where the pair lined up alongside each other, Gerrard actually made more passes than he did on his own (48 to 35), but none of the top five players to receive the ball were the strike pairing of Peter Crouch and Michael Owen.

While his lateral movement was similar to when he played in midfield without Lampard, he received fewer passes in the attacking third suggesting he ventured forward less. The positions from where he passed the ball were also more limited to central areas.