Hargreaves Eager To Play For England

The United midfielder is ready to risk playing two games in a week, something that's still uncharted territory for him this season.

Hargreaves had some injury worries and missed training on Tuesday but insists he's more than ready to play against both Israel and Russia.

'I hope I can play two games in a week,' said Hargreaves.

'I have not done it yet this season but it has never been a problem before, so hopefully it won't be a problem now.'

Steve McClaren is still hoping to include Steven Gerrard in his starting line-up against Israel though I don't really see why. Hargreaves is fit (according to himself). Carrick is fit. Wouldn't it be better to put a half-fit Gerrard on the bench and play him only if there's an emergency?

I would not play with painkillers if I were him and Hargreaves agrees with me - having said this, he might have a little bit more experience of these things than my humble self.

'Sometimes you do need an injection but any time you can try and avoid it, you should,' he said.

'The medical staff have worked very hard and I have invested a lot of time to trying to get fit as well, so, so far, I have not needed it.

'At one stage I did feel as though I wouldn't be ready for the start of the season but I have completed three games now and feel good.

'I know I missed training yesterday but sometimes you can do too much.'

And just a minor thing: as our poll goes, it seems you are very pleased with Hargreaves. Well, he says he could not play at 100% for United yet. How good will he be if he will? Just a rhetoric question of course.

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