Gareth Southgate last night paid tribute to Wayne Bridge and said: "He's now got a great chance of going to the World Cup."

Middlesbrough stopper Southgate played alongside Bridge in last night's 4-0 win over Paraguay at Anfield - it was their second time as a defensive partnership following last month's game with Italy.

And he has now seen enough to believe that the Saints left-back will be in Sven-Goran Eriksson's squad when the England boss names the 23 that he wants to go to Japan and Korea.

Southgate played for over an hour alongside Bridge before both were substituted midway through the second half.

He said: "I've played with Wayne twice and he has done very well.

"He's played three games against different opposition and has come out of each game with credit.

"He's slotted in very comfortably and has looked very good going forward and when he's had to defend.

"He has only been in a couple of squads and it is going to take him a while to feel part of it all, but from what I've seen he has settled in very well

"Wayne must have a great chance of going to the World Cup now.

"Paraguay's front players were very lively, but I don't think any of us did our chances any harm. The manager has a squad of players fit and playing well."

Bridge is still waiting to play a full 90 minutes at full international level but Eriksson was delighted with another assured display from the 21-year-old, who he replaced with Phil Neville, one of ten England substitutions, after 67 minutes.

"Wayne does well every time he plays and his performances show that things happen very rapidly in football," said the England boss.

"Just a year and a half ago we were saying that it was impossible to find one left-back, but now we find that we have two naturally left-footed full-backs.

"Wayne did well again and I'm sure that in one or two years we'll have more players competing for that position. That's nice, very nice."

Ironically enough, Bridge is benefiting from the knee trouble that has dogged Ashley Cole since the Gunners left-back hobbled off following a challenge from Kevin Davies in Saints' 1-1 draw at Highbury in January.

Bridge would now seem to be a dead cert to go to the Far East and in doing so become the first Hampshire born Saints player to go to a World Cup since Terry Paine, one of the boys of '66.

If Cole recovers in time, Eriksson may decide to play both down the left flank to allow Kieron Dyer, who started in front of Bridge last night, to fill in for David Beckham on the right

Bryan Robson, speaking in his role as BBC pundit, said: "Wayne Bridge has come from nowhere. He's obviously impressed the manager and I'm sure he'll got to the World Cup now."

But Eriksson ended the post-match press conference saying: "I'm very happy as we played better than we did against Holland or Italy, and big wins are very good for morale.

"But, if anything, tonight has made my decision even more difficult."