• European Championship 2012

Gerrard urges England to make statement of intent

Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard admits that the England players are feeling the pressure ahead of their European Championship qualifier against Bulgaria - but he has urged his team-mates to rise above the burden and make a statement of intent in the match.

England are bidding to put the disappointment of the World Cup - where they slumped to a second-round exit - behind them when they get their qualification campaign underway at Wembley on Friday night.

With several of the World Cup flops sidelined due to injury or axed by Fabio Capello, the Bulgaria clash represents an opportunity for several new faces to grasp the opportunity and secure their place in the first-team.

Gerrard is urging this "exciting" new breed to do just that, which will leave the squad brimming with confidence ahead of their testing trip to Switzerland on Tuesday.

"The players and manager realises that we are under pressure after underperforming at the World Cup, so it will really help if we put a good performance in tomorrow and then we can take the confidence forward to the Switzerland game on Tuesday," Gerrard said. "It's very important that we make a statement, so a good, positive win will certainly help."

The 30-year-old also revealed that he would relish the opportunity to operate in a more advanced role for England, ideally just behind Wayne Rooney. Gerrard has been deployed in a deep-lying midfield position for both club and country this season, but he insists that he is best-suited to operating higher up the pitch.

"I relish that [playing in an advanced role] position on the pitch, I'd love that opportunity," he said.

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