Parker stakes claim for regular position

The West Ham midfielder had an outstanding game as the Three Lions returned to the summit of Group G with victory at the Millennium Stadium.

Parker, whose five international caps have come under four different managers, was playing a week after his father had died.

He said: “I got 45 minutes against Denmark (in last month’s friendly), and I thought I did well, and it has gone well personally again against Wales. I wanted to play well for Dad, I know he was watching me from up there.

“I just need to keep the form up and hopefully get a bit more of a chance. There is a lot of competition but I do feel I have been in some really good form.

“I thought the midfield combination worked pretty well. It is easy for me when you are playing with two very good players in Lamps and Jack.

“It gives them licence to go forward a little bit and it makes life easier for me.”

Parker’s role playing slightly behind Frank Lampard and Jack Wilshere gave England an impressive balance in the middle of the park. That control in midfield also set the foundation for the storming start that saw the visitors silence the passionate Welsh crowd by going 2-0 ahead early on.

Parker said: “It (Cardiff) is a very difficult place to go. First and foremost, we got three points.

“The atmosphere was very tense and we quietened the crowd down. We knew we had to do that and we killed the game.”

Parker will not now feature against Ghana tomorrow night due to Capello being intent on making 11 changes from the side that won so convincingly in the principality.

However, form permitting, he must have a great chance of being named in the starting line-up when England return to competitive action against Switzerland on June 4. The same can be said for Jack Wilshere, who impressed hugely against the Welsh.