Chelsea are prepared to excuse Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole and Gary Cahill from the second of two exhibition games in the USA next week to help England.

The trio will be allowed to return after the first friendly against Manchester City in St Louis on Wednesday and miss the return fixture in New York three days later.

It will enable them to recover in time to play for England against the Republic of Ireland at Wembley on Wednesday May 29, when Cole will be presented with a Golden Cap to mark his century of international appearances.