Gerrard rues ‘mad minutes’

Stand in England skipper Steven Gerrard was left to rue ‘a mad five to ten minutes’ of the match against Russia after the Three Lions were beaten 2-1 by Russia in Moscow.

He said: "We were in control of the game, the game plan was working perfectly, we've gone 1-0 up and I've had a fantastic chance to make it 2-0 myself.

"Then we had a mad five to ten minutes when the game has changed. The penalty for their first goal looked outside the box and has turned the whole game.

"It gave them a lot of confidence, put them on the front foot and they put us under a lot of pressure and managed to get a second.

"Even when they got the penalty, we should still have been strong and more together to see the game out."

England are now on the brink of missing out on the prestigious tournament and need Russia to drop points against either Israel or Andorra in their final two matches.

When asked about England’s plight, Gerrard added: "It is important that we don't give up. We are waiting on other people to do us favours.

"But as players we've got to stick together, focus and believe to the end.

"I can't believe it is out of our hands because we have worked so hard over the last five or six games to put ourselves in the driving seat and make ourselves favourites to go through, especially after going 1-0 up tonight.

"You start believing you are nearly there, that you have got one foot there but football is a cruel game and chances and decisions and mistakes turn football matches and that is what has happened tonight.

"For England not to make the finals will be unthinkable. But as players and staff, we've got to take responsibility for that."