Watch Liverpool

 Steven Gerrard walks off the training pitch with the England physiotherapist, Gary Lewin. Photograph: Eddie Keogh/Reuters

Steven Gerrard has been ruled out of the World Cup qualifier against Belarus after being unable to finish the training session with England today. He walked off with the physiotherapist, Gary Lewin, midway through the session while the rest of the squad carried on. The midfielder will now sit out the game against Belarus and could also be forced to miss Liverpool’s game at Sunderland at the weekend.

Fabio Capello will also be without the injured Wayne Rooney but has said that Rio Ferdinand is certain of starting the Group Six qualifier after discussing his mistake against Ukraine with the coach. “Rio will play against Belarus,” Capello said. “I have big confidence in Rio. He will play and I’m sure he will get better with every game. I spoke with Rio, on Monday and this morning, and I will speak also with some other players. We will see the DVD of the game to understand what happened and I will see the mistakes.”

The goalkeeper David James was the only player to miss training completely while Gerrard returned to the dressing room midway through the session. James’s problem is not thought to be serious and the Portsmouth goalkeeper has not been sent back to his club. Gerrard, however, has returned to Liverpool for further treatment. “He didn’t finish training because the pain was the same as yesterday. He’s going back to Liverpool,” the England coach, Fabio Capello, said. “David James is not training. He had problems [with his knee] but is getting better. I will decide tomorrow whether he will play or not.”

Liverpool will fear that it is a recurrence of the groin problem which saw him have a scan after the defeat in Ukraine. Liverpool play Sunderland on Saturday, Lyon in the Champions League three days later and then Manchester United the following weekend in a crucial period for Rafael Ben