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Last Updated: Sunday, 9 October 2005, 13:53 GMT 14:53 UK
Gerrard ruled out of Poland match

Steven Gerrard
Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard will miss England's World Cup qualifier against Poland on Wednesday after injuring his shin against Austria.

Defender Sol Campbell had already been ruled out because of a hamstring problem and captain David Beckham is suspended following his sending off.

England's place in the 2006 World Cup finals was guaranteed after Holland beat the Czech Republic on Saturday.

Liverpool have said that Gerrard may be sidelined for two to three weeks.

The Anfield side will be without their skipper for the Premiership match at home to Blackburn, the Champions League match at Anderlecht and the Premiership visit to Fulham.

England's game at Old Trafford will decide whether they or Poland, who are two points clear in Group Six, finish top of the table.

Like England, Poland have already qualified for the finals.

Wayne Rooney, who has completed a one-match suspension, is expected to return against the Poles.

But England will again have to do without left-back Ashley Cole, who suffered a stress fracture of his foot when training for the Austria match.

And Rio Ferdinand will come in for Campbell - the Arsenal defender's injury preventing another national debate over who to partner John Terry.

Having won that right on Saturday, Campbell limped out of the match after 65 minutes and was replaced by Ferdinand.

Manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has confirmed that Ferdinand will start on Wednesday and the Swede expects a big performance.

He said: "When you take decisions like this, with great players who have never sat on the bench before, you can get two different reactions.

"One is head down, even worse, sad, whatever it is. Or you have the opposite - 'I will show you that you're wrong'.

"Rio will show me that I was wrong. I'm 100% sure of that."



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