DAVID MOYES is convinced Leighton Baines can force his way back into Fabio Capello’s World Cup plans – on the day Ashley Cole was ruled out for three months.

First-choice England left-back Cole will be sidelined until mid-May after scans yesterday revealed that he suffered a fractured left ankle when tackled by Landon Donovan in Chelsea’s 2-1 defeat at Everton on Wednesday night.

The former Arsenal man then faces a race against time to be fit for England’s opening World Cup game against the United States, for whom Donovan is the all-time leading goalscorer.

And that has opened the door for the alternative left-back options to stake their claim before Fabio Capello names his 23-man squad for South Africa.

Manchester City’s Wayne Bridge and Aston Villa full-back Stephen Warnock have been favoured by the Italian of late, with Baines out of favour since his first England call-up last April.

Baines did not see any playing time in either the friendly against Slovakia or the qualifier against Ukraine, and has been absent from subsequent England squads.