England stalwart does a Tevez (sort of)

Steven Gerrard has told Fabio Capello to leave him out of England’s crunch Euro 2012 qualifier in Montenegro.

Capello will head to Goodison Park on Saturday, hoping to see Gerrard in action in the Merseyside derby.

But Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish has hinted his skipper, who has had only two brief run-outs off the bench in the past 10 days since groin surgery in March, may not be ready to start against Everton.

England will qualify for next summer’s finals if they avoid defeat next Friday, but Gerrard would be surprised if he was involved in that game.

“I think everyone knows I’m still not 100% match fit," he said. “I have only probably had two 12-minute games.

"I’m not really sure how much I’m going to play against Everton so, in my opinion, it’s probably still a bit too early."

For more from Gerrard, click here.

Capello has decided he will only select Gerrard - whose last England game was the friendly defeat by France last November - if he is convinced the midfielder is 100 per cent fit to play a full part.

Gerrard does not need to be told he was injured in that France game - Liverpool were fuming with the England medical team - and is reluctant to risk pushing himself too early.

Capello, though, will talk with the player, Dalglish and the Liverpool medics before deciding whether to include the midfielder in his 23-man squad.

The England boss, boosted by the news Wayne Rooney is expected to play for Manchester Unitde against Norwich after his hamstring strain, will also look at Gerrard’s club-mate Andy Carroll.

Capello has included Manchester United’s Danny Welbeck, Chelsea’s Daniel Sturridge and Stoke’s Peter Crouch in an extended provisional squad, which also includes Jermain Defoe of Spurs and Aston Villa's Darren Bent.

Shaun Wright-Phillips of QPR is also in the extended list, while Arsenal's Theo Walcott has a chance to prove his fitness in front of Capello in Sunday’s North London derby.

The England boss has earmarked uncapped Spurs right-back Kyle Walker to compete with Manchester City's Micah Richards for a starting place in the absences of Glen Johnson and Chris Smalling.

Capello will also be interested in the performance of Arsenal’s Kieran Gibbs against Tottenham.

Gibbs started last season as Ashley Cole’s understudy at left-back. He lost his place to Everton’s Leighton Baines through injury, but is now first-choice for Arsene Wenger’s side.

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