England captain Steven Gerrard believes that a lack of expectation surrounding his squad can help them at the World Cup next summer, calling for a realistic interpretation of where the Three Lions stand at this stage.
Gerrard guided his side to the finals last month but any chance of the English public getting carried away was dampened this week, following successive Wembley defeats to Chile and Germany.
The Liverpool midfielder has offered a frank assessment on whether Roy Hodgson's men can deliver success in South America, conceding that the leading World Cup contenders are better equipped to perform on international football's biggest stage.
He told The Guardian: "We're not one of the favourites, we know that. At the same time, you've got to go into the tournament with a bit of belief and confidence, and give it your best shot.
"But, of course, there are better teams out there than us. You only need to look at the rankings and where we are. I think these results will bring people a little bit down from where they were after Poland and Montenegro (when England won to qualify for the finals).
"There will be a bit of realism and perspective out there. There's not too much expectation and pressure on the players. I'm sure that will help us."
Back-to-back defeats at the hands of Chile and Germany were England's first successive losses at Wembley since 1977.
Liam Power
