Lions Watch
Monday, 01 November, 2004
TheFA.com catches up on the form of all the England players in action over the course of the Premiership weekend.
Michael Carrick is hoping to help Tottenham back to winning form - and ensure England star Jermain Defoe scores even more goals.
Tottenham lost their third Premiership match in a row at the weekend, going down 2-0 to Fulham in front of England Head Coach Sven-Goran Eriksson.
But Carrick, signed from West Ham, came off the bench late on and is now hoping to push his way back into the reckoning for both Spurs and England.
He said: "We have got quality at this club but we're going through a bad patch and not passing the ball as we as we can. But I'm sure we will bounce back.
"It's been frustrating for me but I hope I will get my chance.
"As for Jermain, he's fine. He didn't score this time but you can't ask him to score every game. He banged in two in midweek and showed his quality and he's doing well.
"Strikers live and breathe to score goals and Jermain is no different. It's down to everyone else to help him out and hopefully I can do that by setting him up and putting him in from set pieces.
"We have enough quality as a squad to take the pressure off Jermain and I hope I can have a role in that. Ask any of the lads who aren't in the team and they will say they can come in and do a job. I fully believe in myself and hopefully I will get my chance."
Another England man, Paul Robinson, made a superb reaction save from former England striker Andy Cole against Fulham, but couldn't prevent Spurs from losing the game.
Elsewhere, Ashley Cole was passed fit to play against Southampton despite suffering a knee injury and he was his usual consistent self in a dramatic 2-2 draw.
Gary Neville played 81 minutes of Manchester United's 2-0 defeat at Portsmouth and it won't be a day he wants to remember.
Rio Ferdinand conceded a controversial penalty for Pompey's opener and was booked for the tug on Ricardo Fuller's shirt.
Phil Neville started the match for United whilst Wayne Rooney was booked and kept off the scoresheet despite trying an audacious chip from 30 yards. Alan Smith was also up front but couldn't hit the net.
Up at West Brom, John Terry was doing everything possible to try and push Chelsea towards the championship. He set up William Gallas' opener in Chelsea' 4-1 win at West Brom.
Frank Lampard scored a trademark 20-yarder and produced a commanding performance as Chelsea ran out easy winners at the Hawthorns. Joe Cole and Wayne Bridge also started the game but were substituted.
Jamie Carragher played the full 90 minutes of Liverpool's 2-2 draw at Blackburn and made a crucial clearance to stop Rovers going 3-1 up.
England Under-21 star Darren Ambrose scored a fine goal for Newcastle on Sunday but couldn't prevent them losing 2-1 to Bolton.