FIFA president Sepp Blatter's demand that skilful players be given maximum protection by referees will be tested to the limit this evening when Dennis Bergkamp and Marc Overmars are man-marked by two Korean hard men.

Arsenal's Bergkamp, starting a game for the first time in six weeks, will be policed by Lee Min-Sung, who was lucky to escape with a yellow card for a crude tackle on Mexico's Cuauhtemoc Blanco last Saturday.

Overmars, a crucial element in Arsenal's league and cup double, will be marked by former Korean captain Choi Young-Il dubbed "the man of steel".

Choi was sent off against Japan in the World Cup qualifying tournament for continuously fouling striker Kazu Miura.

The Koreans are not known as a dirty team, but coach Cha Bum-Kun has called for a more aggressive approach in the hope of snatching a draw and quelling the furore at home over their 3-1 loss to Mexico.

Dutch coach Guus Hiddink is looking for an improved performance from the 0-0 draw with Belgium but said that it would not be a onesided affair in the Stade Velodrome.

"It is easy to think it could be a walkover, but against Mexico the Koreans dominated for the first half an hour and only lost control of the match when they had a man sent off."

With Patrick Kluivert suspended for the game, Bergkamp, sidelined for six weeks with a hamstring injury, is certain to start.

Hiddink has indicated that Nottingham Forest striker Pierre Van Hooijdonk will be used as a substitute.

Despite Hiddink's warning there is a real chance that Holland will take Korea lightly and striker Choi Yong-Soo and France-based midfielder Seo Jung-Won could make them pay for a lax approach.