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Striker relishing Rooney return
19/06/2006: Michael Owen is relishing Wayne Rooney's return to the side and feels it will help him rediscover his goalscoring form.
Coach Sven-Goran Eriksson has confirmed the Manchester United star will make his first start since breaking his metatarsal seven weeks ago after coming on for the last 32 minutes against Trinidad and Tobago on Thursday.
Rooney will partner Owen up front for the Sweden clash on Tuesday, which will decide who will top Group B, with Peter Crouch ping to the bench as he is a yellow card away from suspension.
Owen has looked far from his best as England have ground out their two opening victories and has been substituted early in the second half on each occasion.
However, the 26-year-old insists it is the side's apparent tendency to play the ball long to Crouch that has prevented him from opening his account.
"You would have thought there wouldn't be as many long balls because Wayne and myself are not that tall," the Newcastle United striker said.
"It might encourage players to keep it on the deck a bit more.
"I am as sharp as I ever was but you've not seen it because we're not firing on all cylinders at the moment. If we're playing well then I'll look as good as ever.
"It's just a case of us passing the ball and getting it into the right areas. I've never scored a goal from my own half or outside the box for that matter.
"I've been out for a large part of the season so it's inevitable that I'm not going to be on the absolute top of my game straight away. But I feel fine, fresh, fit and coming into a little bit of form.
"There's a belief about me because I've done it before at this level."
Should Owen even be playing? Head over to the lively forum at and see what's being said.
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