England Face Croatian Test in Group B Cliffhanger

The final games in Group B take place on Monday with everything still to play for. England, buoyed by the 3-0 win against Switzerland on June 17, only need a draw against Croatia in Lisbon to reach the last eight, but know defeat would send them crashing out at the group stage.

England captain David Beckham, however, has said that his team have too much quality to go out at the first attempt and losing the match is the furthest thing from any of their minds. "We can't even think about defeat," Beckham told a press conference at the weekend. "It is unthinkable we should go out at this stage with the squad and the players we've got. We must go into it wanting to win. We can't think about getting a draw."

"The team is getting more confident as each game comes."

England expect to be unchanged

Coach Sven-Goran Eriksson is expected to name an unchanged side which means four players, including Wayne Rooney, will play despite being one yellow card away from a one-match ban.

Eriksson has no intention of playing it safe by leaving out the teenager. "As a manager, I can't think about leaving him out and hoping we win the game anyway. He has to play against Croatia, and that's it," he said.

England will be without midfielder Owen Hargreaves, who has a stomach upset. Paul Scholes, Sol Campbell and Steven Gerrard returned to training on Sunday after missing out on Saturday after sustaining blisters in the Switzerland game, but the Croatia match will come too soon for Nicky Butt who is still struggling with a knee injury despite improvements in recent days.

Owen receives backing of coach and captain

Eriksson fielded a number of questions about the form of Rooney's current strike partner Michael Owen at the team's press conferences over the weekend and insisted that he still has confidence in the Liverpool forward despite substituting him in both of England's opening games.

"All the world knows he is a great goalscorer and sooner or later, he will score," the Swede said.

"All of (the strikers) make the same small mistake. They think they must score and are stuck mentally, rather than going out to play football," Eriksson said.

Eriksson admitted that he had spoken with the striker and pondered whether his own decisions to replace him with Darius Vassell had undermined Owen on some level.

"I cannot you tell you I'm sure he will score a goal but I wouldn't be surprised at all. He feels he's not been playing extremely well so he's very hungry and he wants to show that," the coach said.

David Beckham is also confident that Owen will produce the goods. "Michael has been doing it at the top level for so many years now and he's still young. When he gets a goal, then hopefully they will all come as it's all about confidence. He got a lot of confidence from setting up Wayne the other day and hopefully that will boost him to get his first goal. I've got full faith in Michael Owen."

Midfield is key regardless of shape

Eriksson may be tempted to experiment with his midfield, of which Beckham is an integral part, against the Croatians but denies that any return to his favored "diamond" formation would be unpopular and risky. "It's not that different," said Eriksson. "It's always 4-4-2. Let's say we played Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes in the center, and told them we're playing 4-4-2. It will still be a diamond because Nicky will sit and Paul will play in front of him. It's not black-and-white."

This was in evidence against Switzerland on Thursday when Eriksson played his four midfielders in a straight line but allowed them the latitude to follow their natural instincts and play their own game within his structure. As a result, Steven Gerrard sat back in a holding role while Frank Lampard attacked, leaving Beckham and Paul Scholes to pull wide to push forward from the flanks. The lack of real contrast with the "diamond" was obvious.

Croatia targets danger men

Croatia will be watching developments with their opponents' camp with a win over England needed to progress to the quarter-finals. Croatia coach Otto Baric says his side will go into Monday's crucial showdown confident they can beat Sven-Goran Eriksson's men but is wary of both Beckham and Rooney.

"Rooney and Beckham and the others are brilliant players, but we are playing against the entire team. Rooney is an exceptional player, but we knew that," Baric told reporters. "We also know exactly how the English team plays and we can, and will, find a solution to stop both Rooney and England."

France result fires Croatia's confidence

"Six months ago we did not have the self-confidence to beat England and maybe were a bit scared of them, but not now," said Baric. "Victory against them would really be something very special."

Croatia very nearly did what England failed to do -- beat France -- and were unlucky to draw the game against the reigning champions 2-2. But the confidence gained from that match will help the Croatians in Monday's clash. "I trust my players and I believe they will show what they can do in this next game as we did against France," said Baric.

Despite the criticism and speculation circulating about the form of Michael Owen, Croatia defender Robert Kovac admits he faces a stern test against Owen and his striking partner Rooney. "Owen is very good and we must remember he was European footballer of the year. I played against him for Bayern Munich and he was difficult to handle," said Kovac. "This will be my first time against Rooney but from what I have seen of him he looks a very good player."

Offensive strategy to take fight to England

Croatia have been boosted by the news that skipper Boris Zivkovic is fit again after missing the game against France. "I will be ready for the game although I still have some slight problems with the injury," said the skipper. "But I would want to play in this game even without a leg."

Coach Baric may move Igor Tudor into a defensive midfield role, with Zivkovic, Dario Simic and Robert Kovac forming a three-man defense. "We need to play more offensively, Igor Tudor will move into Nenad Bjelica's position, he and Boris Zivkovic are going to take care of David Beckham, but they are also going to play an offensive role," said Baric.

Croatia (probable)

: Butina, Simic, Robert Kovac, Simunic, Tudor, Bjelica, Rosso, Nico Kovac, Rapaic, Prso, Sokota

England (probable)

: James, Neville, Terry, Campbell, Cole, Beckham, Lampard, Gerrard, Scholes, Rooney, Owen

Referee

: Pierluigi Collina (Italy)