Roy Hodgson is hoping Daniel Sturridge will be ready for England's next two games as they continue their preparations for Euro 2016.
The Three Lions face a testing pair of friendlies in November when they travel to take on current European champions Spain on 13 November before meeting the hosts of next summer's Finals, France, at Wembley four days later.
Hodgson has been without Liverpool striker Sturridge throughout the qualifying campaign, but saw him return to Premier League action at the end of September after almost six months out.
Sturridge has scored twice in his three Liverpool outings this season
Yet he left him out of his England squad for the recent Estonia and Lithuania double to remain at Anfield to continue his return to fitness.
"We haven't seen him [with England] for well over a year," Hodgson said after successfully guiding his team to ten wins in ten Group E games.
"He and Liverpool know there is a bit of work for him to do because he has been out for such a long time. Even when you regain fitness you don't regain match fitness fully until you have a few matches under your belt.
"We are expecting him to be the player he was when we selected him and believed so much in before the World Cup."
However, Sturridge, who has bagged two goals in his three Liverpool outings this season, was hit by another set-back on Saturday as he sat out of the Reds' 0-0 draw at Tottenham Hotspur - Jurgen Klopp's first game in charge.
According to the former Dortmund boss, Sturridge suffered swelling on his knee following a training ground challenge on Friday but hopes he will be able to line up for Liverpool against Rubin Kazan on Thursday.
And it will be good news for Hodgson, who wants the 26-year-old former Chelsea forward to be fit and raring to go against Spain and France.
Sturridge has five goals in 16 England appearances
"I have told Daniel that. It's no secret," said the England boss.
"We are hoping that he will get matches between now and then, and by November he will be fitter.
"I have spoken to Daniel and I have told him exactly the same thing - that we are counting on him getting fit, getting his matches, getting some goals hopefully and be here in November."
He added: "I don't think anyone would deny that Daniel is an extremely gifted player and in particular an extremely gifted goalscorer, because he doesn't need many chances to score goals.
"In that fantastic season Liverpool had, when he and Luis Suarez were playing together, they played some exceptional football, but it has been a little stop start with us for Daniel even from the start of this campaign.
"He played the first time we were together against Norway, a friendly, but from the start of the campaign against Switzerland he wasn't there and he hasn't played one minute of any matches in the 10 qualifiers.
"But it would be a very nice bonus to have him if he was back and fit."
The game against France on Tuesday 17 November is also a Breast Cancer Care International, supporting The FA's official charity partner. To get your tickets for the game, visit www.TheFA.com/tickets.
