Rio and Sol are the best - Owen

Michael Owen has hailed Sol Campbell and Rio Ferdinand as the best centre-back pairing in world football and admitted: “I’d hate to play against them every week.”

Campbell and Ferdinand were reunited with England for only the third time since the 2002 World Cup finals in Saturday’s qualifier with Wales at Old Trafford.

And the duo snuffed out the Wales threat from John Hartson, Craig Bellamy and Co so effectively that ’keeper Paul Robinson did not have a serious save to make in the entire 90 minutes of England’s 2-0 success.

More demanding tests will undoubtedly lie ahead but Owen would not swap Campbell or Ferdinand for any other defensive duo and believes England are blessed in terms of the depth of centre-back talent.

Owen said: “I would hate to talk about Sol and Rio returning without paying a compliment to the two fellows that never played in John Terry and Ledley King.

“We were all talking in the bath after the game and the conclusion reached is that we must have a large percentage of the best six or seven defenders in the world.

“We are just so well off at the back. Whoever plays is just fantastic but those two (Campbell and Ferdinand) are mountains at the back.

“The Welsh forwards hardly had a kick and I don’t think there is a better pairing in the world than Sol and Rio.

“They are both massive and fast and you look at them and think ‘I’d hate to play against them every week.’

“What more do you want out of centre-halfs? They are big, quick, great on the ball. They’ve got it all.”

Owen admitted that his spell away with England can help to boost his confidence after an up and down start to life with Real Madrid after his recent move from Liverpool.

And he is adamant that he should have been credited with the opening goal against Wales after Frank Lampard’s shot took a deflection off him – although the goal has been officially credited to Lampard by FIFA.

Owen is also expected to gain another boost by being made skipper in the absence of the injured and suspended David Beckham for Wednesday’s qualifier in Azerbaijan.

Eriksson said last night that Owen would “probably” get the job as he has stood in for Beckham before and the Swede sees no reason not to stick with that plan.

Owen said: “I just wanted to get a bit of confidence for myself, play well and help the team to get back on top.

“The plan was not just me coming back to play for England but I needed a good confidence booster again and hopefully next Wednesday will provide that as well.

“Obviously with the start to the season that I’ve had, I was anxious to play well myself and I’ve came off satisfied with both performances – from myself and the team.

“It is not as if I’ve been playing awful so it wasn’t a surprise to me if I played well. I’ve not been low on confidence in terms of how I’ve been playing - but I’ve not played as much as I would have liked.”

Owen was defiant about England’s opening goal despite the FIFA ruling in Lampard’s favour.

He said: “I knew it was my mine as soon as it happened. If Frank’s shot had taken a slight deflection and stayed on the same line then okay, it might not have been mine, but it took a massive deflection.

“Goals are a big part of my game and I don’t really care if I smack one in the top corner or one keeps hitting me on the back of the leg and goes in the corner.”

On the prospect of being captain on Wednesday, Owen added: “It will give me an extra spring. I’ve done it before so it is not a new thing to me but it’s always a massive privilege if and when it happens.”

England fielded their smallest attack in living memory against the Welsh with Owen and Jermaine Defoe supported from the head of the diamond role by Wayne Rooney.

It is a contrast to the partners that Owen has played alongside in the past such as Emile Heskey and more recently Alan Smith.

Owen said: “It encourages everyone else to keep it on the deck. If they lump it up front, they know it is going to be hard for us to win headers.

“It can encourage everyone to pass the ball and against Wales we pinged it around very well and looked threatening.”