Jamie Redknapp is facing up to the prospect of a further operation on the knee injury that forced him out of the England reckoning for Euro 2000.

The Liverpool midfielder, who has been struggling with the problem for much of the season, is missing out on yet another chance to prove his talents on the international stage.

His England jinx first struck back in November 1995 when he damaged a hamstring against Switzerland while, in Euro 96, he injured an ankle against Scotland after coming on as a substitute.

The 26-year-old then broke the same ankle in 1997 and missed the World Cup finals the following summer.

Redknapp said: 'I have seen a specialist who has told me that I really need to rest my knee during the coming month. So my hopes are over. Obviously, I'm disappointed.'

England's other disappointed midfielder Ray Parlour looks set to be fit for the new season despite the knee injury that keeps him out of Kevin Keegan's squad.

Parlour was injured in a tackle by Roberto Carlos minutes after coming on as a second half substitute in saturday's 1-1 draw against Brazil at Wembley. The damage is not thought to be serious but it is enough to keep the Arsenal midfielder out of action for the next couple of weeks.

Parlour added: 'It's not a bad injury but it will take me a little while to get fully fit.

The England coach gave both players hope for the future, however, when he said: 'I really hope they can be available for the friendly against France in September and the World Cup qualifiers.'

Meanwhile, tension is mounting in the England camp, with Keegan due to name his 22-man squad for Euro 2000 after tonight's game against Ukraine at Wembley.

With Redknapp and Parlour out, he will now have bad news for only four of his squad. The players expected to miss out are Aston Villa goalkeeper David James, West Ham defender Rio Ferdinand, striker Andy Cole plus either Everton's Nick Barmby or Newcastle midfielder Kieron Dyer.

One player who won't be worrying is Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard, who was told on Tuesday, his 20th birthday, that he will win his first senior England cap tonight.

This time last year Gerrard was on holiday with his family in Cyprus and the year before that he was about to be captivated by the World Cup displays of another young man from Anfield.

'Yes, I would say Michael Owen is a role model for me,' said Gerrard.

'We have been good mates since we were about 11 and when Kevin Keegan told me I was playing it was Michael who gave me some good advice.

'He just told me to do what I've been doing for Liverpool. 'That's why you're here,' he said, 'don't try and change your game and you'll come through with flying colours.'

Gerrard admitted the news that he had won his first senior cap was the perfect birthday present, although some new footwear would not go amiss after 'some-one broke into my hotel room and put toothpaste in my trainers'.

'I always knew I could play,' he said. 'But I didn't expect to be in the England team so soon. I set myself targets and I wanted to be in the Under-21 squad. If someone had said, when I made my debut, that I would be playing for England in 16 months time, I would have called them a liar.'

Gerrard is unlikely to make the same explosive impact upon the England scene as Owen but is ready for the challenge.

'I would like to be a successor to Paul Ince one day,' he said.