Rio Ferdinand has been ruled out of England's opening Euro 2008 qualifier against Andorra with a bruised toe.
The Manchester United defender has not been able to train with his international team-mates this week, although manager Steve McClaren is hopeful the 27-year-old will be available for the second qualifying match against Macedonia on Wednesday.
"We don't expect him to train (on Friday), he is continuing his rehab, he's back running. In this situation with a bruised toe in the beginning there is a lot of pain and then they heal rapidly within two or three days. So we're hoping he gets over it and will be available for Wednesday," McClaren told a press conference televised live by Sky Sports News.
"There are opportunities for Michael Dawson and Wes Brown to step into that role and we've got every confidence in them to do that."
McClaren believes being with the England camp will have helped Ashley Cole to stay focused on football after his transfer to Chelsea was completed just before the midnight deadline.
He told Sky Sports News: "He has joined up with England now and it's a different mentality. It's a relief for the players to get away from everything revolving around the clubs and they're coming to a different environment.
"The players have been fantastic this week when we've had them in training, and I think it's a relief for them to get away from that atmosphere of the transfer deadline and to work with England."
McClaren is unconcerned with his two first-choice left-backs both being at Chelsea, following Cole's deadline-day move to join Wayne Bridge at Stamford Bridge.
On Cole's move, McClaren added: "I saw the relief on his face when he knew it was a possibility and I'm sure we'll see that in training again and in the game. They're at a top club and will play a lot of games, so they will get games - there's a lot of competition at every level.
"I know on transfer-deadline day it can be hectic and when it's over it's a relief."
McClaren wants his side to build on his opening match, which resulted in a convincing 4-0 win over Greece.
"What we're looking for is a consistent performance like against Greece," said McClaren. "We're looking for the performance - I said before Greece that we are not as good as we think we are, we need to go up the ladder again after improving against Greece.
"We need to become a great team, we're not that at the moment."
McClaren is pleased with the options he has in attack, with Andrew Johnson starting the season well with Everton, and Peter Crouch in a rich vein of form at international level.
"Peter Crouch's record is phenomenal at international level and he provides something different," he added. When he's come on as a substitute he's impressed and when he's played he's scored the goals. He played well with Jermain Defoe.
"When you look at the camp before Greece people were worried about the strikers but Andrew Johnson has started well, and we have Darren Bent, Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe."
