Owen has faith in Gerrard
Michael Owen today hoped Steven Gerrard could still take part in next month's World Cup despite his groin injury.
The striker was with his Liverpool team-mate last night and said: "Steve is upset but I don't think he is definitely ruled out yet.
"I was with him last night at our end-of-season meal. He is obviously disappointed.
"Any team would miss him no matter who you are, but every team is going to have things like that and it's no use us sulking about it."
Leeds' Rio Ferdinand denied the injuries to Newcastle's Kieron Dyer and Gerrard, and those to Manchester United's Nicky Butt, David Beckham and Gary Neville, meant the England squad was in crisis.
The defender said: "That's a bit of an overstatement, we have plenty of players in the squad.
"I don't think Kieron has given up hope yet, hopefully he will be able to get fit."
In fact Beckham was one player to give the England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson a lift today.
"It's up to me to get fit, lose a bit of weight - I've put on about half a stone - and do well out there.
"It's been five weeks and I'm running already. You have up and down days, but it's going well.
"It's aching but I've spoken to people who had the same problem and they said it still aches after three months, so it's going to be fine. Dyer and Gerrard are two great players but there will be other great players missing, like Pires from the French team."
Meanwhile, there was more injury woe for England Under-21 boss David Platt, who was dealt a major blow today when Spurs defender Ledley King was forced to withdraw from the European Championship squad because of an ankle problem.
Blackburn's Martin Taylor has been drafted in for the tournament which gets underway in Switzerland on Thursday.
Platt will be hoping for better news of key midfielder Michael Carrick, who suffered a new groin injury while playing for West Ham against Bolton on Saturday.
