Roy Hodgson: 'It helps having players with familiarity'

England boss Roy Hodgson has expressed his belief that there are advantages to having several players in his squad that play for the same club.

Liverpool players make up five of Hodgson's 23-man squad, a tally that will rise to six when Rickie Lambert completes his proposed move to the Reds.

There are also four players from Manchester United and three from Everton, and Hodgson believes that the bonds formed at club level can only help the national team.

"Of course it's no disadvantage and of course it's very good for the group, especially for the younger players, the Sturridges and the Welbecks," he told reporters.

"And also to some extent for Jordan Henderson, having people like Steven Gerrard and Glen Johnson around him because they've got a lot of England caps.

"There are 160 England caps between those. So it must be an advantage if you're a Liverpool player having a teammate who you can turn to and know you you're going to get the answers you're looking for."

England face Ecuador in their next World Cup warm-up game on Wednesday.