Lallana gunning for starting berth

31 May 2014 08:01

Adam Lallana hopes to have done enough to earn a place in England's starting line-up for their World Cup opener against Italy.

The 26-year-old won his fourth senior cap on Friday evening, playing 73 minutes of the Three Lions' 3-0 win over Peru at Wembley.

Lallana looked sharp for Roy Hodgson's side, with the speculation over his future not appearing to have any negative impact.

Press Association Sport understands Liverpool have upped their bid for the Southampton captain to £25million, but the Group D opener against Italy on June 14 remains his main focus.

"I'm good, really well," Lallana said. "It was a good result and I am delighted with the team performance in the end.

"I was delighted [to start]. Obviously, getting in the starting line-up for the first game in Manaus is what everyone's striving for and hopefully I've done enough to impress the manager and show him what I'm capable of.

"It was a good result and we move on to the next game."

The England squad have been together for two weeks now, spending time in the Algarve before five days together on home soil culminating in the match with Peru.

Hodgson's side jet off to Miami on Sunday for friendlies against Ecuador and Honduras, with the warm-weather trip planned to aid preparations for their difficult World Cup opener in Manaus, deep in the heart of the Amazon.

"It's been a great week, a hard week's training, a good bit of fitness, wearing layers to try and adapt for what we're coming in to," Lallana added.

"The weather's not been too kind to us this week, but the fitness of everyone is looking good.

"We haven't picked up any injuries, so that's the main thing. We'll recover and fly out to Miami on Sunday.

"It's a big week, we've got two big games out there in tough conditions, so we'll look to put in a couple of good performances like we did today.

"It's a strange feeling, you just want to take it all in, but it seems to be happening so quickly."

Source: PA