Eriksson to Risk Rooney Against Sweden in Group B Decider

England boss Eriksson is keen to start Rooney against the Swedes for a game that his team only need to draw in order to win Group B and avoid a possible last 16 match against host nation Germany.

Rooney made a sooner-than-expected return to the fray last week when he appeared as a second-half substitute against Trinidad and Tobago, his presence lifting his teammates to help secure an unconvincing 2-0 victory.

The Manchester United striker, who had initially been deemed unlikely to figure in the first phase as he battled back from a broken metatarsal, has already told Eriksson he is itching to play. But Eriksson will delay making a decision until he is satisfied that Rooney's fitness levels will allow him to play a significant part of Tuesday's match in Cologne.

"He looks fine," said Eriksson. "I spoke to him and the physios and there was no reaction after the Trinidad match. He said he was ready to play 90 minutes already -- he's been telling me that for three weeks."

Rooney's return would most likely come at the expense of six-foot, seven-inch (two-meter) striker Peter Crouch, with the struggling Michael Owen getting another chance to play his way back into form against opponents England have not beaten since 1968.

Coach keeps faith with struggling Owen

Owen's position has come under scrutiny after lackluster displays against Paraguay and Trinidad which saw him hauled off before the hour mark on each occasion.

The Newcastle United striker is struggling for match fitness after missing most of the season with a foot injury, but Eriksson is a long-time admirer of the 26-year-old former Liverpool and Real Madrid center-forward.

"I'm not concerned about Michael," Eriksson said. "It was a pity that he didn't score the other day with the chance that he had. He will come good."

The Swede is also adamant that a Rooney-Owen strike force remains his most potent attacking combination, meaning that Crouch is likely to be stood down.

The fact that Crouch is one of three England players on a booking -- Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard are the others -- is also a factor. Eriksson indicated that two of the three could be rested in order to avoid risking a second yellow that would rule them out of the second round.

Conservative Swede unlikely to tweak team against compatriots

With England's line-up struggling to fire thus far, there has been speculation Eriksson would tweak the formation from 4-4-2 to 4-5-1, introducing a holding player in order to liberate the attack-minded Gerrard.

However, Eriksson is skeptical that a holding midfielder is necessary. "I'm not sure we need to do it against Sweden," he said. "They play a diamond formation normally so we will have one more in midfield anyway."

Zlatan out as Sweden look to guarantee last 16 place

Meanwhile Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic could be forced to miss his country's Group B decider against England because a groin injury is not responding to treatment, coach Lars Lagerback said on Saturday.

"As things stand at the moment, it does not look as if he will be able to play," he said.

But the Swedish coach also said that his team was fully attuned to how England would come out and play as many of his side either play or have played in the English Premiership.

"They know English players well, they know their mentality and their way of playing," he said.

Getting defensive?

However Lagerback -- whose side could also go out if they lose heavily to England and Trinidad and Tobago beat Paraguay -- predicted that the match would be a defensive one, primarily because of his tactics.

"England are always a tough team," he said. "They have quality in all positions. They have won two matches. We will try to stick to our way of playing, defend as much as we can. When you play at this level you must control the game. You cannot attack too much."

While Lagerback was diplomatic, some of his players opted for a more direct appraisal of their opponents.

Midfielder Tobias Linderoth said that just because England, who have six points from their two matches, had higher profile players with bigger name Premiership sides did not mean they were a better team.

"But if you look at the team as a whole then we're just as good," said the 27-year-old hardman midfielder, who had two seasons with Everton before moving on to FC Copenhagen. "We were better than them at the last World Cup. England have done what's expected of them so far, but we have a lot of energy and belief in our own play."

Preferring Ecuador

Lagerback added he would prefer to meet the South Americans of Ecuador rather than hosts Germany.

"Both teams are strong, so it does not really matter who we play against," he said. "But Ecuador would perhaps be easier, because Germany have the home crowd behind them."

Sweden ideally need to win against England to guarantee a last 16 place with the door still mathematically open for Trinidad and Tobago.