Stephen Warnock hopes World Cup door opened by Wayne Bridge exit

Stephen Warnock said last night that Wayne Bridge's decision to make himself unavailable for the World Cup following the revelations about John Terry's affair with his former partner has "opened a door" that Warnock hopes will lead to him being named in the England squad for South Africa. The Aston Villa left-back was already presenting a strong case to be recognised as Ashley Cole's understudy this summer before the allegations about Terry's private life surfaced last month. His impressive performances since moving to Villa from Blackburn Rovers in a £7m deal in August caught Fabio Capello's eye earlier in the season and the former Liverpool trainee was rewarded with a call-up to the England squad for the friendly against Brazil in November. Warnock remained on the substitutes' bench in Doha but, provided he comes through Sunday's Carling Cup final against Manchester United unscathed, he seems certain to win his second senior cap against Egypt at Wembley on Wednesday. Cole is sidelined by a fractured ankle. "I was pushing for a World Cup place anyway. I always thought that if my form was good enough I could push Wayne Bridge hard and I'd be happy with that," said Warnock. "With the events that have unfolded, possibly it opens a door and you never know what could happen. It's the manager's decision who he picks and who he thinks is right for the job. All I can do is concentrate on my form for Aston Villa and hopefully that will impress the England manager." Warnock admitted it would be the ideal scenario if he received a Carling Cup winners' medal as well as an England call-up, but he was reluctant to discuss the circumstances that have conspired to push him a step closer to the World Cup finals. "It would have been a difficult decision for Wayne Bridge," he said. "But you don't know what's gone on and it's not for me to comment on that, it would be wrong." Earlier in the month Warnock was struggling to recover from a shin problem. He had broken the same leg three times as a teenager, and Villa were concerned that the discomfort he was feeling was associated with the site of the original fracture. But he returned to the first team in the FA Cup tie at Crystal Palace 12 days ago and has reported no ill-effects since. "He was very concerned a couple of weeks ago with that injury," said Martin O'Neill, the Villa manager. "It looked as if he might even miss the rest of the season; the player was obviously very down. We gave him a couple of weeks' rest and, touch wood, it seems to have helped enormously. He's been exceptional since he arrived. And now with Bridge pulling out, Warnock would have a chance as good as anyone of travelling on that plane." O'Neill said Warnock is a different type of full-back to Cole. "Ashley Cole is a very, very fine player. When he plays for Chelsea he makes these runs because he has players capable of delivering and playing him in. So he really is the quintessential attacking full-back. I think Stephen, going forward, is improving. He's a real warrior. He tries to contest everything. For the size of him, he's brave in the air. And I think those would be qualities that would be endearing to the England manager."