Southgate to start as Eriksson sticks to cautious approach

Euro 2004: Macedonia mishap and Australia embarrassment make England apprehensive as team-mates defend much-criticised striker

When the media were, as is customary, expelled from England's training session at the Rheinpark stadium yesterday lunchtime, the first exercise to be rehearsed in camera was defending corners. Liechtenstein may have scored one competitive goal in four years but Sven Goran Eriksson was clearly taking nothing for granted prior to today's European Championship qualifier.

This is wise. Although England ought to defeat this tiny Alpine principality's mix of jobbing professionals and off-duty plumbers comfortably, recent performances have added a 'what if' dimension to their preparations.

When it comes to competitive matches England do have a good record against minor opposition, with few major upsets since the infamous 1950 World Cup defeat to the United States. However, probably the worst result since the 1981 defeat to Norway was also the last, the home draw against Macedonia.

It is the memory of that game, and the following friendly defeat to Australia, which has worried England followers. Steven Gerrard admitted their apprehension, and the criticism England received after those matches, had added to the pressure on the team.

Should England start slowly, those worries will rise sharply. Players will begin to consider the unthinkable. Their approach will become over-cautious as each player seeks to avoid being the one who made "the mistake". It happens. Norman Hunter played 28 times for England, and with distinction for Leeds, but is still remembered for the soft tackle that resulted in the Polish goal which denied England a 1974 World Cup place.

In such circumstances, England's passing could either become ponderous and unambitious, or descend into hopeful punts forward. Either way it will be easier for Liechtenstein to prolong the torment.

Eriksson will thus be hoping to score quickly. "An early goal is always important," he said after England returned to their Swiss base yesterday. "I saw some statistics which showed 65 per cent of teams scoring first win the match. If we don't score early we must keep patient. It is very important to keep the head cold and just go on working.

"I'm not afraid of Liechtenstein but I have respect for them. If you think before a game it will be easy, that is to kill yourself. Look at the times a Premiership team loses a game it shouldn't in the FA Cup. That is [down to] motivation. It is easier to motivate people before a match against Brazil, Argentina or Germany but if you think about the last two results we should be motivated."

The setting, though, hardly smacks of a major event. The Rheinpark is neat, modern and very small, with one stand on each side. One will hold the 942 official England fans, the other a further 2,624 spectators. There will be no fans at the ends, one of which is a children's playground, the other a hospitality tent.

The need for experience has prompted Eriksson to draft Gareth Southgate into central defence alongside Rio Ferdinand rather than the talented but much less capped Jonathan Woodgate. It is the decision he should have taken before the Macedonia game when Woodgate, then out of form, was preferred as Ferdinand's deputy. Kieron Dyer, as expected, is on the left side while David James makes his competitive international bow six years to the day after his England debut. Wayne Rooney is likely to be on the bench but Owen Hargreaves will not – he has been ruled out with a sore back.

James is unlikely to be busy but, in front of him, Ferdinand should be active. Such a match is the perfect opportunity for him to step into midfield and create space as the extra man. This is what he did when England last played a fixture like this, in Luxembourg in 1998. It was in the last days of Glenn Hoddle's reign and England played poorly, surviving a missed penalty with the match goalless before winning 3-0. Ferdinand was, though, one of the few successes, causing problems as he pushed up from an unfamiliar right-back position.

Since Eriksson usually prefers his central defenders to hold their position, the responsibility of supplementing the attack may instead fall on the full-backs, Gary Neville and Wayne Bridge.

England ought to win with ease, though the bobbly pitch will hinder their passing. More problematic is the prospect of trouble breaking out involving England fans. The ground is relatively easy to isolate and the road leading directly from Vaduz, which contains the only bars within walking distance, has been blocked. This should enable police to deny entry to supporters without tickets, but as several hundred are believed to have bought tickets in the home grandstand there may be problems within the ground. Another potential flashpoint is Zurich, where large numbers of England fans unable to secure entry are expected to congregate.