Football: Owen running hot as World Cup temperature rises

Hoddle offers debutants voyage to France via world travellers Chile

The Chilean globetrotters arrive at Wembley this evening tired of body and cold of limb. Glenn Moore, Football Correspondent, considers what should be the perfect start for England's World Cup countdown and Michael Owen's international career.

At the conclusion of Chile's goalless draw against New Zealand last Wednesday, the Kiwi television commentator hailed "a tremendous result" for the home team and a "very good performance". It is safe to say a similar scoreline at Wembley tonight will not be greeted with such rapture by the English press and public.

Since that match in Auckland, Chile have played in Australia and travelled half-way round the world, arriving here at 5.40am on Monday. Their bodies will still be feeling the effects of jet lag. They will also be feeling the cold. It was pushing 90 degrees in Auckland, with humidity to match, and it was not much cooler in Melbourne. It may be mild for February but it could still be too chilly for Chile.

England to win, then, but tonight is about more than just the result. Even a cold and weary South American side will present a cerebral challenge for English players more attuned to Premiership thud and blunder. Though Colombia will be a different proposition in the French summer heat, there are lessons for Lens to be absorbed tonight.

While the team learn about the slow-slow-slow-quick tempo of Latin American football, the coach will be learning about his players. Michael Owen and Dion Dublin are earmarked to make debuts, while Nigel Martyn will further his limited international experience and there may be first starts for Andy Cole and Nicky Butt.

Given Cole's form it would seem foolhardy not to play him and to do so in tandem with his club partner, Teddy Sheringham. Cole, at present, seems the most likely summer understudy for the recovering Alan Shearer, who may end the night where he will begin it, on the bench.

"Andy has benefited from Eric Cantona going," said Shearer of his rival. "Eric was the main man and everyone looked to him. Now things are going through Andy more. Also he has Teddy alongside and I'm fortunate to know he is excellent to play with. He creates a lot of chances for you with his great footballing brain and unselfish running."

Owen is likely to appear in the last half hour when his pace could be telling, and few would bet against him continuing his run of goalscoring debuts. Dublin may be introduced alongside him. While pairing two debutants may seem risky, Dublin, the elder by a decade, would appear an ideal foil and Chile are likely to be vulnerable to his height. Another option would be to bring Dublin on for Tony Adams, another who is still finding match sharpness after injury.

Adams has, however, been restored to captain. Hoddle explained he chose Paul Ince ahead of him in Rome as a series of injuries had affected both Adams' play and approach. Hoddle said: "He is a natural captain who normally concentrates 70 per cent on is own game and 30 per cent on the others. In Rome he needed to be 100 per cent on his own game. Since he went to France [for a rehabilitation period] he has regained his appetite for the game."

Paul Gascoigne should start but Paul Scholes will not be involved: a bruised knee has ruled him out. "There are more places up for grabs than people imagine," added Hoddle by way of incentive.

Chile's shape is uncertain. This is the third match in a global warm- up which even Michael Palin would blanch at and Nelson Acosta is experimenting in personnel and formation. Marcelo Salas, once a pounds 13m target for Manchester United, has joined the Antipodean tourists from River Plate and will test England's defence, especially if Chile's playmaker, either Marcelo Vega or Jose Luis Sierra, is given time to pass.

Chile followed their goalless draw against a weak New Zealand team (who included a Woking midfielder and rejects from Barnsley and Leyton Orient) with a creditable win over Australia, the hosts' first defeat at home since Terry Venables took over. As well as Salas, Clarence Acuna, a goalscoring midfielder, and the stylish captain, Javier Margas, may catch the eye.

But most eyes will be on England, whose progress is reflected in the comparison with Chile's last visit, a 0-0 draw in 1989. John Fashanu was centre-forward and 15,628 turned up. Tonight's game is almost sold out - no tickets are available on the gate - and brute force has been replaced by pace.

CHILE: Tapia (Universidad Catolica); R Fuentes (Universidad de Chile), Margas (Universidad Catolica), Rojas (Colo Colo), Reyes (Colo Colo), Acuna (Universidad de Chile), Galdames (Universidad de Chile), Paraguez (Universidad Catolica), Sierra (Colo Colo), Salas (River Plate, Arg), Barrera (Universidad de Chile).