Steven Gerrard believes there is no limit to Daniel Sturridge and Wayne Rooney’s partnership for England and is excited to see how it develops leading up to a potential World Cup place.

The strike duo return to the Three Lions squad after missing the 4-0 win over Moldova and 0-0 draw with Ukraine in September through injury.

Sturridge and Rooney have only played together for England for 30 minutes in total, but with both starting their domestic campaigns in good form – with 13 goals between them already – Gerrard expects more of the same for the national side.

“The potential in that partnership is frightening,” Gerrard told reporters. “They are both very skilful, they can both create and they can both score. All the boxes are ticked.

“They just have to prove they can make it happen. That is the most difficult thing but I have belief in both of them.”

“I have no hesitation in saying [Sturridge] has the potential to be world class. He is that good.

“The key for Daniel was to have a manager who believed in him, play him every game and build a team around him that gave him a platform to prove he is a top player. 

“So far, so good. But what he has produced at Liverpool everyone is waiting [for] with England. Hopefully that is what we see over the next seven or eight days.” 

England need to win both games against Poland and Montenegro to guarantee a place in Brazil next summer and Gerrard is confident of qualification, insisting that there will be no repeat of the Euro 2008 failure.

“It doesn’t come any bigger,” he added. “We are all going to be judged over the next week on whether we get to the World Cup or not. 

“We all realise the pressure is huge. And in that pressure cooker, we need to produce, perform and deliver.”