Sven: Owen will keep place

Sven Goran Eriksson will not leave Michael Owen out of the side that tackles Croatia on Monday but he warned that none of his stars is 'untouchable'.

Despite calls from some pundits and supporters to elevate Aston Villa's lively Darius Vassell to the starting line-up for a match England must not lose, Owen will keep his place.

The Liverpool striker has been below par in the opening two Euro 2004 encounters, as he was in the final warm-up match with Iceland, but still has the pedigree to make a huge impact in Portugal, particularly with so much focus now being trained upon his strike partner Wayne Rooney.

"We are not at the point today when one of our best players must be left out," stressed Eriksson.

"Michael, though, is not untouchable, no. No-one is.

"I've never thought about dropping Michael for this game and I wouldn't.

"I've talked to him and he is fine. He seems okay.

"In this situation, you have to let him play and he will come good."

Owen has received backing from his former boss at Liverpool, Gerard Houllier.

The Frenchman feels there is simply no way that the Anfield favourite should be sacrificed.

"I realise people are impatient because, after two matches, Michael has not scored," Houllier told The Sunday Telegraph.

"But look at his contribution.

"Leave aside the France game for a moment, there were very few chances for the strikers on that tightly contested occasion, and appreciate how beautifully he made the crucial first goal against Switzerland for Wayne Rooney.

"To dwell on Michael's creative ability rather than his finishing may seem odd to some people but, in truth, a combination of racing through to score and arriving for tap-ins was never going to be the entirety of his game.

"Especially in view of all his injury problems, he has had to develop a wider range."