Former England striker Kerry Dixon has warned against the perils of playing too soon after injury as Steven Gerrard prepares to face Israel in the vital Euro 2008 qualifier tomorrow despite a broken toe.

Chelsea star Dixon - who also had a short spell with Saints in 1992/93, scoring twice in nine games after a £575,000 switch from Stamford Bridge - featured in the first international between the two countries back in February 1986, a friendly at Tel Aviv's Ramat Gan National Stadium.

But he had only just recovered from torn stomach muscles sustained against Liverpool in a FA Cup tie - and admits now: "It was a mistake to play me, really."

He added: "They took me off about 10 minutes into the second half and it was the right decision.

"I didn't play well, I wasn't ready but, naturally, I thought I could get through it. When England want you to play you don't tend to say no.

"I thought about that game again this week after reading that Gerrard could possibly play with the aid of a cortisone injection.

"It's nothing new. Plenty of players in my time were wheeled out after having a pain-killing jab but people say it can damage your future fitness.

"I don't know about that. I didn't take anything to play against Israel but the fact is I wasn't fit enough for an international match - even though it was just a friendly.

"I was playing again but it takes time to get back to top level.

"I fully expect Steven Gerrard to play against Israel and against Russia next week, though. I'm sure we need him in the team and he'll know that, too."

England had struggled back to level terms against Israel 11 years ago when Dixon was replaced by Tony Woodcock.

And Bryan Robson, who had equalised Eli Ohana's surprise early strike, converted a penalty three minutes from time to seal an unconvincing 2-1 win.

Dixon, a blond-haired, Roy-of-the-Rovers type hero at Stamford Bridge, played only eight times for his country, scoring four goals, mainly because he was competing for a place in the Gary Lineker-Peter Beardsley era.

It was said at the time that the stomach injury he suffered robbed him of some of his outstanding pace and he was rarely the same player afterwards.

Following the match in Tel Aviv, he was out of action for a spell and, although selected for the England squad for the 1986 World Cup finals in Mexico, managed just six minutes as a substitute against Poland - after Lineker scored a hat-trick.

Dixon won only one more cap after that but his own scoring feats are legendary at Chelsea where, despite his short-lived international career, he stayed on until 1992 - nine years after a £150,000 move from Reading - scoring 147 goals, many of them in partnership with two flying Scots, David Speedie (who also went on to play for Saints) and Pat Nevin.

At 46, he still works for Chelsea as a match-day host and as a guide on stadium tours.

He also enjoys sponsored appearances at commercial functions and the occasional soccer punditry for Sky TV and the BBC.

England are unbeaten against Israel in three meetings - all away at the Ramat Gan - but the last two have both been goalless draws - when Clive Allen took Dixon's number nine shirt two years later and won the last of his five caps - and last March.

England (v Israel, February 1986): Peter Shilton; Gary Stevens, Alvin Martin, Kenny Sansom; Bryan Robson, Glenn Hoddle, Ray Wilkins, Chris Waddle (Sub: John Barnes, 80 mins), Kerry Dixon (Woodcock 54), Peter Beardsley.