England doctor will make own checks on injured players

Is Paul Scholes a) injured? b) fit? c) fit only for Manchester United? d) being used by Sir Alex Ferguson to embarrass Sven Goran Eriksson?

The above poser is unlikely to be on the questionnaire Sven Goran Eriksson this week issued to those England players who were on World Cup duty. It remains, though, central to the club versus country issue which has hijacked England's preparations for today's friendly against Portugal at Villa Park.

Yesterday Eriksson finally entered the debate, breaking cover to insist that he had "good relationships" with all the Premiership managers. However, "to avoid confusion" he added in future he expected players to report to the England squad even when their club claimed they were injured. England's new, independent, team doctor would be the judge of their fitness.

Eriksson, who is likely to give a debut to Lee Bowyer today, said he had been neither humiliated nor embarrassed by Scholes' miraculous midweek recovery. Scholes had been omitted from the squad on Monday because of injury but, with Eriksson watching, played for Manchester United at Old Trafford on Tuesday.

The England manager said: "On Monday I talked to Ferguson and he said Scholes was out. Then I saw him in the line-up on Tuesday. Of course, I was surprised, but not embarrassed. I don't think I should be embarrassed about that. Someone should be, but not me.

"Ferguson phoned me 15 minutes after the game. He said Scholes had recovered quicker than he had thought and as he needed the three points he gambled on him."

Eriksson said he believed Scholes, David Beckham, Kieron Dyer and Sol Campbell, who are also absent, all had genuine knocks but expected them to play for their clubs next week. "They are competitive matches," said Eriksson, "they are life and death. This is a friendly so if they were here I would not have played them – but to avoid confusion in future I will ask them to report."

They would then be assessed by Dr Leif Sward, a long-time colleague of Eriksson who has worked with the Swedish team. A surgeon who specialises in sports injuries, he replaces the Arsenal duo John Crane and Tim Sonnex and Sheffield Wednesday's physiotherapist Alan Smith. Eriksson confirmed they had been released because the medical set-up was perceived by other club managers (no names were mentioned) as being too connected to Arsenal.

Eriksson added: "I can understand the managers' feelings on that issue just as I can on players being called up for friendlies. When I was a club manager I hated it. But we have done everything we can to help the clubs. We must have one friendly between the World Cup in June and the European Championship qualifiers. It is impossible otherwise."

This match is Eriksson's only rehearsal for the back-to-back qualifiers against Slovakia and Macedonia next month. With the above quartet missing, some experimentation is inevitable and Eriksson indicated Beckham's absence would mean a chance for Bowyer on the right flank. He also wants to look at Alan Smith in attack, Owen Hargreaves at right-back, Paul Robinson in goal and Jonathan Woodgate in central defence.

These players will not all start. It would be unfair on them. Novices need an experienced framework around them if they are to give of their best so most will have to wait. Smith, though, could start, especially as that would enable Eriksson to move easily from 4-4-2 to 4-3-3 with Michael Owen as the central striker and Smith and Emile Heskey supporting from deeper and wider, a role both have filled at their clubs.

Eriksson is not going to substitute the bulk of the team at half-time, as he did in last season's friendlies, but it will be interesting to see for how long Nicky Butt and Rio Ferdinand, of Manchester United, Arsenal's Ashley Cole, and Owen, Heskey and Steven Gerrard of Liverpool play. Terry Venables, a former England coach who has kept silent on the club v country debate this week, could end up with five of his Leeds United players on the park.

The Portuguese will be skilful but, history suggests, uncommitted opponents. England have lost once in 11 friendlies between the teams and on Portugal's last visit, prior to France '98, defeated them 3-0 despite being inferior technically. This time, though, Portugal have reason to be motivated. Under new coach Agostinho Oliveira they are embarking upon a run of friendlies in preparation for the hosting of the 2004 championship. That will probably be the last opportunity for their 'golden generation', including Luis Figo, Rui Costa and Fernando Couto, to win a trophy. England may thus see a competitive Portugal, and they have not defeated them since 1966.

The questionnaire, incidentally, was given out on Thursday to all players involved in the World Cup. Those not present will receive theirs in the post. Eriksson said he wanted feedback and players would feel more able to criticise anonymously than in a team meeting. Among the subjects were tactics, preparation, hotels, food and medical treatment. The week's big question was not included. But then, it remains too early to say whether Eriksson has the measure of Ferguson.