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Sven-Goran Eriksson has confirmed Wayne Rooney will start for England against Sweden in Cologne on Tuesday, according to Sky Sports News.
Rooney made his comeback from a broken metatarsal when he appeared as a second-half substitute in England's 2-0 win against Trinidad and Tobago last Thursday.
And Eriksson clearly feels the Manchester United striker is now ready to start a match for the first time against the Swedes in England's final Group B clash.
Eriksson is understood to have revealed his intention to start with Rooney in an interview with host broadcasters today.
And Eriksson has admitted to a Swedish newspaper that he will play Rooney if there are no objections from his medical staff with Michael Owen his preferred choice to partner the Manchester United striker - meaning Peter Crouch is likely to be dropped.
"Rooney looks very good," Eriksson told Aftonbladet.
"He's saying himself that he's ready to play for 90 minutes but then again he's been saying that for three weeks.
"I want to start with him and give him at least an hour on the pitch. But we'll have to see - it depends a little on how he looks in the rest of our training sessions.
"But if the doctors and physios don't have any objections then Wayne is set to play.
"He will make all the difference for us. He's fantastic as a linking player and he will give us several options in the final third of the pitch."
On whether Owen and Rooney will play together, Eriksson added: "They've been my first choices for a long time so yes it's tempting."
Meanwhile Owen Hargreaves is expecting to play in his preferred midfield role for England on Tuesday.
The versatile Bayern Munich midfielder is set to replace Steven Gerrard who is likely to be rested as he is one yellow card away from suspension.
Gerrard would be ruled out of the second round meeting with Germany or Ecuador if he was booked against the Swedes.
A FIFA bookings amnesty comes into effect after the group matches have been completed.
Hargreaves will be in the starting line-up for the first time since England's last meeting with the Swedes in April 2004 in Gothenburg when the home side won 1-0.
He said: "Everything points to you starting in your favourite (midfield) position?
"It's looking that way. It's the position I play most of the time for Bayern and I feel comfortable there."
Hargreaves will partner Frank Lampard who is one caution away from a ban but Eriksson has decided to risk the Chelsea midfielder in a match from which England need to avoid defeat to top the group.
The 25-year-old Hargreaves, who made his debut nearly five years ago, came on as a late substituted for Joe Cole against Paraguay but was again booed by the England fans.
He had received similar treatment when he replaced Gary Neville at half-time during the warm-up international with Hungary at Old Trafford nearly three weeks ago.
Hargreaves looked to be establishing himself in the side when selected against Sweden and Argentina in the last World Cup finals in Japan but he was injured in the latter game.
Since then he has struggled to have more than a bit-part role with England given the emergence of Gerrard and Lampard as England's first choice central midfield partnership. |
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