England v Switzerland Coimbra, 5.0From the beer-drenched hot spots of the Algarve to the trembling university town of Coimbra the sun-burned hordes of "Inger-land" travel today in expectation and inebriation. How Coimbra emerges from the experience depends most likely on how the England team emerges.

Last Sunday in Lisbon there was a just a slight whiff of menace in the air, but Zinedine Zidane yanked the rug from under English feet so late and so deftly that those who would demur were halfway back to the Algarve before the harsh truth sank in.

This evening Coimbra hosts a surly contingent of supporters who have had recourse to use the first two phrases in their Portuguese for Idiots guide. Heavy-handed policing. Over-reaction.

While Coimbra will be hoping English fans don't over-react to a cocktail of defeat and heavy-handed drinking, their chances of passing a peaceful Thursday night appeared to be diminishing by the crisis in England's midfield. Manchester United's Nicky Butt is out for the rest of the tournament and it seemed he would be joined on the sideline by clubmate Paul Scholes.

Scholes, however, has recovery from a twisted ankle. Manager Sven-Goran Eriksson insisted Scholes is 100 per cent fit and the midfielder took part in a full training session yesterday. Right-back Gary Neville has also fully recovered from a calf strain.

The Swiss are virtually at full strength, but that is not a phrase which sends waves of fear through the football world. Johann Vogel got through the tedious and scoreless draw with the Croats without further damaging his thigh, but he picked up a red card which means he yields his place to Fabio Celestini, the man who scored the late goal at Lansdowne Road to end the Mick McCarthy era. Otherwise they are likely to remain unchanged.

The Swiss seem resigned to being asked to weather an early storm of England attacks, and the evidence of their doughty, 10-man, second-half performance against the Croats would suggest they might just have the wherewithal to hold out. The optimistic noises coming out of the Swiss camp point to a familiarity and a historical comfort with the English style of play, as well as a robust and experienced defence.

The Swiss defence, bossed and bullied by the impressive Jorg Stiel in goal, is well organised and used to playing on the break, but tends to become flustered under too must pressure.

The English, by contrast, have to cope with the apparent decline in the form of Michael Owen and the comparative youth of Wayne Rooney, who showed flashes of both genius and impetuousness against France. Beyond that, England looked sturdy but sterile against the French and their clear-cut goal chances were minimal. Their traditional excellence at set-pieces may well have to provide the route to goal again.

The Swiss acknowledge a draw will leave them decently placed going into the final round of matches, particularly if France, as expected, see off Croatia today. They have vowed to press for the win, but their ability to prosecute that ambition would appear to be in question. Alexander Frei and Hakin Yakin had their moments against Croatia, but the latter was a disappointment and their best chance came from a late speculative drive from the midfielder Benjamin Huggell.

The English defence managed to keep Thierry Henry and David Trezeguet blunted for most of Sunday night. It will be a surprise if they find the Swiss more of a handful. The Swiss can expect to spend much of the game without the ball. While the French won the midfield battle against England, the combative excellence of Steven Gerrard stood out, and in the absence of Vogel it is difficult to think the Swiss can come close to breaking even here.

England's ambition and desire should be greater than that of the Swiss. The breadth of their talents is wider too. That should be enough for a win to keep hope alive and Coimbrans safe.

PROBABLE TEAMS

ENGLAND: James; Neville, Terry, Campbell, Cole; Beckham, Lampard, Gerrard, Hargreaves; Rooney, Owen.

SWITZERLAND: Stiel; Haas, Mueller, Yakin, Spycher; Wicky, Celestini, Huggel; Yakin; Chapuisat, Frei.