Gerrard: England's group is still wide open

And the midfielder is confident the return of his former Liverpool team-mate Michael Owen after injury could make a massive difference for England.

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England still lie fourth in their qualifying group despite their comfortable 3-0 win in Estonia in midweek which eased the pressure on head coach Steve McClaren.

But they have cut the gap to three points between themselves and leaders Croatia who, like fellow challengers Israel and Russia, all have to visit the new Wembley in the autumn.

And Gerrard believes there are signs England are starting to turn the corner although he knows a couple of positive results against Brazil and Estonia does not make them the finished article.

The Liverpool skipper said: "We got off to a bright start under Steve McClaren but, as players, we know we let the country down with our seven or eight performances before the Brazil game.

"Performance levels dipped and they were definitely not of the standard we would have desired.

"The manager was getting all the stick but we are the players that he picks to do a job, the players that he believes in, and there have been more positive signs.

"We know we've got to look at the bigger picture and we are confident we can be in the 2008 tournament.

"We've got a big challenge ahead in the autumn. We've made it difficult for ourselves but there is still a lot of football to be played.

"We do believe in each other. You look round the dressing room, not just the 11 players in the side but the whole squad, and you see what ability we have got to call upon.

"We just had to start showing that on the field. We just needed to start getting results."

Gerrard added: "People say that it's between us and Russia for second place but we don't think so. There's still a lot of football to be played. We are only just over half-way through the group.

"Russia have to play us twice - and you can tell everyone in Russia they will be in for two difficult games. I'm not going to concede first spot in the group.

"All those teams above us in the group as it stands have still got to come to Wembley. If we play like we did the against Brazil in our first game there, we can beat all of them.

"As for finishing top, I still think the group is wide open.

"We've still got a lot of big games to play in this group. I'm confident we can beat all those sides. The team has shown over the years that when we are under pressure, we can dig out a result."

Owen became England's record goalscorer in competitive matches, moving ahead of Gary Lineker, with his 23rd goal in World Cup or European Championship matches against Estonia.

Gerrard said: "Michael is a fantastic goalscorer and he has got a great record at this level. Any team that has got Michael Owen fit, sharp and ready, is going to be stronger.

"We have missed him, of course we have, and any side having people like Michael available can only benefit."