WITH ALMOST every one of their players based at home the Russians had always been uncertain in the build-up to these championships as to whether their young and inexperienced side would be good enough to make a positive impact. What they have always believed, though, is that in Guus Hiddink they had a manager who was top quality and, in Andrei Arshavin, a midfielder, winger, playmaker and striker with the talent to emerge as one of the stars of the tournament.

Understandably then, there was concern when the coach said yesterday he had not yet decided whether to give the 27-year-old his first start of the competition against Sweden tonight.

Arshavin's problem is that he has missed the first two games here because of suspension. Six minutes from the end of Russia's last qualifier, a game against Andorra in which the Zenit St Petersburg star was persistently fouled, his frustration got the better of him and he kicked the main offender, Ildefons Lima.

Now, Hiddink suggests, there is a doubt about Arshavin's fitness, as he has not played since the friendly game against Lithuania on June 4th, a match in which he scored his 11th international goal.

Faith in the coach's judgment is pretty much absolute back in Russia but starting tonight's make-or-break final group game without the country's former footballer of the year would, if followed by failure to qualify, almost certainly result in a huge dent to his popularity.

Arshavin's reputation at home is considerable too, not least because of his central role in Zenit's title success last year and this season's Uefa Cup victory.

During the European campaign he turned a few heads abroad too, most notably when the Russians overran Bayer Leverkusen, by four goals to one, at the quarter-final stage in Germany.

He scored his side's first that night, a spectacular individual effort, and pretty much ran the show for the rest of the evening.

Against Rangers in the final, he set up both goals, most memorably Igor Denisov's, for which he provided a stunning pass.

In the qualifying games against England he also did well and his strike rate - around one goal in every four games for his club, one in three for his country - touch, creative instincts and range of passing have attracted interest from the Premier League.

Newcastle are currently the favourites to sign him for around €13.5 million after previous contact from the likes of Tottenham, Everton and Manchester City.

After a nightmare start against Spain, the Russians go into this evening's game with Sweden harbouring serious hopes of progressing past the group stages of this competition for the first time in three attempts since the break up of the Soviet Union.

But Hiddink accepts this will be a bigger test than Saturday's defeat of the toothless defending champions.

"It will be a different game against Sweden," he says. "They are tough and . . . experienced."

The sort of opponents, one might imagine, the hugely experienced coach would be reluctant to take on without his best player.

"But," the 61 year-old insisted, "there is a lack of game fitness, game rhythm, because he has not played many games recently. I don't know whether he will start."

Hiddink's opposite number, Lars Lagerback, sounds like he expects Arshavin will start; and he insists his players will be ready.

"He has been one of their dominant players and we're very familiar with him - what he has done for Russia previously and what he has done for his club."

The player's immense versatility means it is not entirely clear where Hiddink would start him, but the most likely place would be behind Spartak Moscow's Roman Pavlyuchenko, who has started the first two games as a lone striker.

Hiddink's midfield expended considerable energy bounding forward in support of the 26-year-old against Spain and Greece, but Arshavin would add much-needed guile to the attack and, Hiddink acknowledges, a clinical ability to finish.

"He is a player who can make something out of nothing," says the coach. "He can score from anywhere and is very valuable to have in the team."

It's a strong endorsement from a coach who demands high standards and as they wait for Hiddink to name his starting line-up this evening, Russian fans will be hoping that he has been persuaded by it.