Heat is on: Steven Gerrard and Scott Parker warm up

'He hasn't addressed me yet. He just told me to stay away from the chocolate cake. No, seriously, I know Phil better than Gary but they're both natural born winners.'

Training, Lescott said, has also been enjoyable so far.

'Yesterday was more about tempo,' he said. 'Obviously we had all been off for 10 days or so, so it was more about tempo and getting the stiffness out of the legs. Today was more about strategy, about the defensive unit, not just the back four but starting from the front.

'We all knew what Fabio wanted but it helps with Roy being English.'

It was a 10-a-side game, but at one stage one team pointed to what it might be on Saturday.

Rob Green in goal, a back four of Phil Jones, Jagielka, Lescott and Leighton Baines; in front of them Theo Walcott, Gerrard, Scott Parker and Ashley Young and in front of them Carroll.

If you add Gareth Barry, an England team could be organised in a 4-2-3-1 formation with Gerrard positioned behind Carroll.

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