England manager Fabio Capello faces a goalkeeping shortage ahead of next month's World Cup qualifiers after David James elected to undergo shoulder surgery.

The Portsmouth keeper goes into hospital tomorrow for an operation to correct a "long standing problem" that will keep him sidelined until the start of next season.

England are already without Manchester United's Ben Foster, who has a thumb injury, leaving the door open for West Ham's Robert Green to press his claims for the games against Kazakhstan and Andorra.

Peterborough's 21-year-old Joe Lewis won a surprise England call-up last year and could come into the frame again.

West Brom's Scott Carson, Wigan's Chris Kirkland and Blackburn's Paul Robinson have fallen out of favour while Manchester City's Joe Hart is behind Shay Given in the Eastlands pecking order.

James delayed his operation until Portsmouth's Barclays Premier League status had been secured.
"He has had a long-standing shoulder injury which needs to be corrected," said Portsmouth manager Paul Hart.

"He goes into hospital on Wednesday to have it sorted out. We hope if he goes in now he has a good chance of starting next season.

"He will be out for the summer. David is a very strong-minded person. He has made a decision so he is fit for next season.

"He has weighed it up. It has to be done and there has to be a sacrifice."

James had been an ever-present for Portsmouth in the league before last night, when he failed to shake off a stiff neck.

Bosnian goalkeeper Asmir Begovic made an assured debut in goal as Portsmouth piled the pressure on relegation battlers Sunderland with a 3-1 victory at Fratton Park.

The Black Cats would have secured their Premiership status with a victory and took a 1-0 lead through Kenwyne Jones.

But Portsmouth hit straight back through John Utaka, who pounced on a loose ball to rifle his first goal of the season.

And seven minutes later, Phil Bardsley turned the ball into his own net as he tried to halt Utaka, who had escaped into the box again after a major gaffe from Anton Ferdinand.

As Sunderland piled forward in search of an equaliser, half-time replacement Armand Traore drilled home Portsmouth's third three minutes from time.

Sunderland's bid for top-flight survival will now go down to the wire, with Chelsea heading to the Stadium of Light next Sunday.

The one consolation for the Black Cats is that their destiny remains in their own hands, with Sunderland one point ahead of Hull and two up on Newcastle.

Hull host Manchester United on the final day while Newcastle head to Aston Villa.

Manager Ricky Sbragia said: "I thought the first goal was a bit unlucky but the second goal was a bad error and that killed us off.

"Anton tried to control the ball with the sole of his boot. He is better than that.

"I thought in the first half we did reasonably well and created a few chances but it was the same old story, we didn't finish them.

"We went 1-0 up and really we should try and see the game off but we didn't do that.

"The boys are down. We came here and thought we had the chance to get something. We created chances but didn't take them and they come back to punish you."