Nuremberg: England right back Gary Neville has a calf injury and is very doubtful for their Group B game against Trinidad & Tobago but striker Wayne Rooney is fit, coach Sven-Goran Eriksson said on Wednesday.
Eriksson told a news conference that Owen Hargreaves or Jamie Carragher would come into the team if Neville, who earlier limped out of training at the Nuremberg stadium, was not fit for Thursday's game.
"Gary Neville has a calf problem and is very doubtful for tomorrow," Eriksson said. "He's on his way to do a scan now so we will know more later and tomorrow morning."
Carragher, who can play anywhere in defence, deputised for Neville after he was forced off in their recent warm-up game against Hungary with a hamstring tweak.
Asked if Rooney was available to make his World Cup debut after nearly seven weeks out with a broken foot, Eriksson said: "For me, Rooney is match fit.
"Let me sleep on it, I will decide tomorrow morning."
As for whether the Manchester United striker would start or come on from the substitutes' bench, he said: "Almost for sure not starting the match, because I don't think he's got 90 minutes in his legs yet."
Any decision to play the inspirational 20-year-old forward would be a controversial one.
Manchester United issued a statement last week citing independent expert medical opinion that Rooney should not be played before the second round at the earliest.
Even then, he would need careful assessment before any decision to play could be taken, the statement said.
Eriksson dismissed reports in the British media that he had had a difference of opinion with Football Association chief executive Brian Barwick over when to play Rooney.
"It's been reported that Brian and I have had a row about it, that's completely a lie," said the Swede.
"We have discussed it a lot in a positive way but absolutely no disputes at all."
England, who laboured to a 1-0 win over Paraguay, will qualify for the second round if they beat a Soca Warriors side who needed only 10 men to hold Sweden to a 0-0 draw.
"I think we will have a better performance than on Saturday," Eriksson said, before producing statistics comparing England's share of possession with other top sides.
"We had 53 per cent, Argentina against Ivory Coast 49 per cent, France against Switzerland 51 per cent, Brazil against Croatia 50 per cent. Shots on goal we are the best with Brazil -- 13, five on target -- Brazil had six on target."
"So I don't think it was that bad Saturday. I thought it's a good idea to tell you and they are official FIFA statistics."
With the notable exception of Dwight Yorke, whose trophy haul in his Manchester United years include the 1999 European Cup, many of Trinidad and Tobago's side are drawn from lower-division British clubs.
"For most of the players, apart from Dwight Yorke who has been in big, big games before, it's the match of their lives," Eriksson said.
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