This is now do or die, admits Steven Gerrard

Steven Gerrard: 'The last thing you want is to go home in the group stages'
10 April 2012

Fabio Capello was preparing to let Steven Gerrard off the leash today as England battled to stay in the World Cup.

England went into the game against Slovenia in Port Elizabeth knowing that only a win was likely to secure their passage from Group C through to the last 16 of the competition.

Capello was ready to drop Emile Heskey and draft in Jermain Defoe to go in search of goals and James Milner's inclusion in place of Tottenham's Aaron Lennon was also being considered as a way of allowing Gerrard to play in a more central role.

The move to a 4-3-1-2 formation would allow the Liverpool midfielder, who scored in the opening match against the USA, to link up with Wayne Rooney and get the best out of both players.

Gerrard, who took over as captain following Rio Ferdinand's injury, described this afternoon's clash with Slovenia as a "do-or-die situation" and added: "It would be an absolute disaster for this group of players to go home after the group stages."

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