Eriksson looks set to throw Owen back in

England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson has dropped his broadest hint yet that Michael Owen will return to the side to play Northern Ireland tomorrow.

The Newcastle striker was suspended for the 1-0 victory over Wales at the weekend – when the Swede played a 4-5-1 formation – but with Owen available again it seems likely Eriksson will switch back to his favoured 4-4-2 for the World Cup qualifying Group Six clash.

And although he would not confirm Owen would start, he suggested as much after stating all his squad was fit.

“If Michael Owen is 100% fit, there is no doubt he will play,” said the England coach.

“He has had only one competitive match this season (the 4-1 defeat in Denmark last month) but if he is fit he is very important for us, especially in big games.

“It is always a difficult decision to take players out, especially when we won the last game, but that is my job.”

Eriksson was quizzed on what his tactics would be and while he did not give a ringing endorsement to his experiment in Cardiff, he would not be pinned down on what his formation would be tomorrow – although the players were set to find out later today.

“I know the best formation, maybe the best formation we played was the diamond, or 4-4-2, but to play the diamond you need three central midfielders to be fit,” he told a press conference televised on Sky Sports News.

“Frank Lampard is not playing as well as he did last season. That is a little bit why we used the system [against Wales].

“I will not gamble [with tactics]. Normally the players will know how to play, last week they knew it from Wednesday, this time they will know if from this afternoon.”

Eriksson was asked about the fortunes of the England cricket team as they approach their Ashes decider at The Oval but the usually knowledgeable Swede had a confession to make.

“If you are a Swede living in Sweden, Portugal and Italy you don’t know much about cricket. We don’t understand, we have never played it,” he said.

“It is great in England and there is huge interest in it. I hope to go see it on Friday.

“If you live in England you should go to see it at least once to know something about it."