The Liverpool star and his Chelsea counterpart proved an instant success when asked to play alongside each at the heart of England’s midfield against Iceland last weekend.

And they have been working hard on the tactical side of their game at England’s training camp just outside Lisbon.

Other players, including Nicky Butt, are also battling for a place in the starting line-up against France on Sunday. But Gerrard has good news from the training ground – because he and Frank are really starting to look like a partnership.

He said: "It's working really well and it’s surprised me a bit. We both like going forward, but we can both defend as well, so it's just about getting that right mixture.

"If you compare my game to Frank's, I think I am a little bit more defensive. I think he tries to get in the box a little bit more, but the manager has said that only one of us can go. We've just got to try to be really disciplined, but we're ready to give that a go and try to make that work.

"It's about communication, but also Frank's really experienced. He's 27 and I've been playing for five or six years, so we do know when to go and when to stay, and we know not to get carried away or leave spaces for other teams to exploit."

If the dynamic duo are asked to continue their partnership against France, there will be a huge responsibility on Gerrard’s shoulders in his first ever major tournament finals.

Not least because he will be up against Patrick Vieira and Claude Makelele, two of the best midfielders in the world.

But he’s played against both in the Premiership this season and still remembers The FA Cup Final of 2001 when he came face to face with Vieira on the big stage.

"Arsenal dominated the whole game that day, not just myself, and Patrick was man of the match in my opinion. But I've learned a lot since I was 21. I feel as if I've matured. My game's improved in a lot of parts.

"I will be ready for Patrick this time. But we've also got to worry about the Trezeguets and the Zidanes. They're the danger, the people who create and score goals while Patrick and Claude Makelele provide the discipline. They're going to worry about Frank breaking forward as well, but we've got to respect every member of their side."

In such a big atmosphere it could well be midfield where the match is won or lost – and if Gerrard and Lampard turn out to be England’s partnership, then you can bet that both of them will be fired up for the occasion.

Gerrard said: "Midfield will be a major, major part of the game. I think our midfield will be trying to put our markers down early. We won't be sitting back. We'll show them a lot of respect, but we'll be going for the win."

Now that’s exactly what England fans want to hear!