[Berlin_Freeper]

Steven Gerrard says England have no excuses
Gerrard said: "As each day creeps closer to the game itself, a sense of excitement grows.

"It is here now. All the distances and the miles we have covered, the heat preparation - we have done all that. There are no excuses now."

England v Italy: Manaus World Cup pitch 'painted green' amid fears over condition
Fifa refused to answer questions about the apparent dying, but did say the pitch is receiving "treatment" ahead of its first-ever international fixture.

England staff are thought to have commissioned their own investigations, receiving assurances from the Sports Turf Research Institute that while the turf may not be nice to look at, playing on it should be fine.

[Berlin_Freeper]

"It is here now. All the distances and the miles we have covered, the heat preparation - we have done all that. There are no excuses now." - Gerrard

England must use counter-attack against Italy
The temperature in Manaus will play a part in how England perform and, sadly, so will the state of the pitch, which is not good.