Steve McClaren admits the World Cup heroics of Owen Hargreaves convinced him to reshuffle the England midfield.

Hargreaves will partner Frank Lampard at the heart of McClaren's first team with Steven Gerrard switched to the right. Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch will lead the attack in Dean Ashton's (broken ankle) absence but the England boss will look for a reaction from his new-look midfield.

McClaren explained: "The key thing that came out of the World Cup was the emergence of Owen Hargreaves and everyone will agree because he was voted our player of the World Cup. We've always talked about having someone in that midfield who can sit and hold and it's a natural role for Owen to do."