England’s Adam Johnson ruld out of World Cup Qualifiers

Adam Johnson will miss England’s World Cup qualifying match in Moldova on Friday because of a thigh problem.

The winger, 25, who joined Sunderland from Manchester City last month, has returned to his club for treatment.

Defender Ashley Cole is ruled out of the game with an ankle injury.

Cole’s injury is described as “minor” and the Chelsea left-back, 31, will be assessed on Sunday to see if he can play in next Tuesday’s qualifier against Ukraine.

Fellow defender John Terry was able to take full part in training on Monday, untroubled by a recent neck strain.

Terry, 31, missed Chelsea’s 2-0 victory over Newcastle on 25 August and the 4-1 Super Cup defeat to Atletico Madrid on Friday.

But he did not look in any discomfort as he headed several balls during the session of more than an hour at London Colney.

Captain Steven Gerrard, Danny Welbeck, Glen Johnson, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Michael Carrick and Tom Cleverley were restricted to gym work after playing for their clubs on Sunday.

Manager Hodgson said England would not underestimate the Moldovans, who finished second bottom of their Euro 2012 qualifying group but performed creditably against the Netherlands in a pair of 1-0 defeats.

“I don’t care if they are called Moldova,” said Hodgson. “As far as I’m concerned, they could be called Brazil and we have to produce a performance to win us the game.”

Striker Andy Carroll has already withdrawn from the squad with a hamstring injury.

The 23-year-old striker, who joined West Ham on a season-long loan on Friday, withdrew from the squad on Saturday after picking up a hamstring injury in the 3-0 win over Fulham.

Hodgson, who was at St Mary’s as Manchester United came from behind to beat Southampton 3-2 on Sunday, waited until the weekend’s Premier League programme had concluded before deciding not to replace Carroll.

Arsenal’s Theo Walcott, who has been named in the squad as a midfielder, is likely to provide attacking cover.

Leighton Baines started England’s 2-1 win over Itay in August at left-back, where he was replaced with 12 minutes remaining by Chelsea’s Ryan Bertrand, also in the squad for Moldova and Ukraine.

Had Cole played in both matches, he would have won his 100th cap against Ukraine, having made his debut against Albania in March 2001.

England’s road to Brazil 2014 begins at the Zimbru Stadium in Chisnau before Hodgson’s men face Ukraine four days later at Wembley.