GROUP F: Owen Hargreaves is 21, has never scored a goal in his professional career and has played 12 minutes of non-friendly football for England. Yet the strong indications are he will be asked to play central midfield for England here tomorrow in their World Cup opener against Sweden - from the start.

Considering that prior to England's warm-up game against South Korea in Seogwipo 11 days ago Hargreaves had begun only one of four games for Sven-Goran Eriksson this is fast-tracking - even if it is due in part to Nicky Butt and Steven Gerrard being injured so close to the end of the domestic season, then the same thing happening to Danny Murphy out here.

Butt's injury has helped Hargreaves move past him since England left Dubai but the energy Hargreaves has shown is an significant factor. He looks likely to play between David Beckham and Paul Scholes tomorrow.

Kieron Dyer is another England midfielder who has been hampered by a late injury, but his knee ligament has recovered to the point where he said yesterday he could play against Sweden. "I'm fresh, full of energy and now I'm fit," Dyer said, while confirming he will not be flying home. Dyer described his state of fitness as "100 per cent. I've got a chance of being selected for Sweden, hopefully."

Dyer praised Eriksson for his willingness to trust in youth - England's 10 likely outfield starters will have an average age of 23."Mine is a bit of a Roy of the Rovers story, being injured on the last day of the season and thinking I was out of the World Cup. But I didn't sulk, I battled on; let's hope it has a Roy of the Rovers finish to it."

Dyer's defiant enthusiasm is pretty impressive but it is Hargreaves who is living a story that could be from a comic. "I think he's on a level par with Nicky Butt," Dyer said of Hargreaves. "I've been really impressed with him."

Born in Canada, playing in Germany and with a past that includes a friendly appearance for a Wales youth team, Hargreaves has an unusual hinterland for a potential English hero. But it does not feature a wealth of football or, amazingly for a midfielder, a single senior goal. Having played 14 times for Bayern Munich last season, his breakthrough year, Hargreaves says he has played much more frequently this season. He does not come across as a young man easily intimidated.

"I play regularly for Bayern Munich," he said yesterday. "I am used to playing in big games. This is a bigger stage, a step up from the Champions League. The best players are in the World Cup. I have to perform."

It appears Eriksson will given him the opportunity to show that he can. England's coach and Steve McClaren have been slightly taken aback at Hargreaves' two 90-minute displays here - he is the only England player to have started and finished both matches - and both have praised his intensity and maturity.

Such was his constant running that Hargreaves lost three kilograms against Cameroon last Sunday, he revealed, but Eriksson said Hargreaves also has the intelligence listen in training.

"He's very, very hungry and keen to learn," Eriksson said yesterday. "He listens to everything the coaches say. I first saw him 16 months ago and I liked him, a good player. But I didn't imagine that in 16 months he'd be taking the corners and free-kicks for Bayern Munich."

Rapid progression, however, seems a Hargreaves characteristic. During the last World Cup he recalled supporting England from Bayern's "youth house" and experiencing the thrill of Michael Owen's goal against Argentina.

"That was his moment," Hargreaves said. Asked if he thought this might be his, he gave as modest a reply as he could: "You never know. Come Sunday I'm hoping to be up for it. Maybe it will be my moment."

A first goal at senior level would confirm this is Hargreaves' time, although he wanted to get off the subject quickly. "No, I haven't scored," he said, "and I think shooting is one of my strongest abilities. Maybe I'm saving it up for the World Cup."

Guardian Service