Steven Gerrard's hopes of returning to the England side for the matches against Spain and Sweden this month are hanging in the balance while his club, Liverpool, assess the extent of the ankle infection which has hampered the midfielder's comeback from injury.
The Liverpool captain missed the victory at West Bromwich Albion on Saturday with the problem, which is understood to have set in on the joint after Gerrard sustained a knock to his right ankle in training, towards the end of last week. Indeed, he required medical intervention at a Liverpool hospital on Sunday. The club are expected to decide on a course of treatment on Tuesday, once the problem has been fully assessed.
Any more time on the sidelines would be a blow for Gerrard, given that he had only recently returned from a six-month absence after undergoing surgery on a groin problem. He made his first Premier League start of the season in a 1-1 draw with Manchester United this month, but he had been expected to return to Fabio Capello's England squad for the two friendly fixtures at Wembley next month.
Capello will await news from Liverpool – he is due to announce his squad on Sunday, after the next round of league matches – but if Gerrard does not play against Swansea City on Saturday he will not be considered.
Capello is expected to select a youthful squad, though Gerrard could, if fit, feature in a role behind a main forward, given the three-match suspension handed to Wayne Rooney after his sending-off against Montenegro. England's options in that role may be limited if, as expected, Ashley Young of Manchester United is also absent through injury. United's Tom Cleverley is likely to be picked for his first cap, having been denied that honour when the friendly against the Dutch in August was cancelled.