Eriksson burdened by expectation

International friendlies/Spain v England: Sven-Goran Eriksson will select a strong line-up in the friendly with Spain at the Bernabeu this evening. Given the number of gifted footballers available to him, it would be a struggle to pick any other kind. The opportunities that this England manager enjoys have piled up to such an extent that they are a kind of burden.

He understands the expectations, and there was no way for him to reject the assertion that his present side is superior to the one that crushed Germany 5-1 in Munich three years ago. "I think so," he said. Eriksson went on to specify the areas in which progress has been made since the 2002 World Cup.

"We have more pace, more experience and we are better technically," the Swede claimed. "We are better and not just a little bit."

There was too much pensiveness in his voice for this to be confused with bragging. Like the fans, he too can only wonder if there will ever be a major trophy as proof of the expertise.

The Swede comes full circle tonight by meeting the same opponents he faced in his first match in charge, at Villa Park in 2001. He realises that opinion over his work is divided and did not respond to those who find his record unsatisfactory.

Eriksson preferred to summarise the debate: "Some would say I've done a good job, others would say, 'No, he's underachieved."

Among other honours, he won league titles in all three countries where he worked in club football: Sweden, Portugal and Italy. It has been hard for him, therefore, to find himself a part of England's barren decades since 1966.

"What I have loved most is winning trophies," Eriksson said. "It's the greatest thing in your professional life. Unfortunately, in the job I have now, you only get the opportunity every second year. And probably it's probably more difficult for any nation to win the World Cup than it is (for a club) to win Serie A. I miss winning trophies as much as you do."

He was not in the mood for special pleading over his team's departure from both the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004 in the quarter-finals. "Not good enough, I agree," said Eriksson.

The manager does at least have a well-established team as he waits for the months until the 2006 World Cup to run down.

Wayne Bridge, who missed the matches with Wales and Azerbaijan through injury, will be reintroduced as England put in further work on his promising partnership with Ashley Cole. Given Spain's midfield prowess, Eriksson will probably not risk the use of a third forward and Jermain Defoe will is expected to be among the substitutes.

Six changes can be made, and these will probably see the captain, David Beckham, taken off because of his recent rib problem. Eriksson dismissed any suggestion that his player would opt to see out the full 90 minutes. "I will decide," he said, with a rare public reassertion of control over even Beckham.

The men replaced will all be outfield players, and Chris Kirkland cannot therefore come on to make his debut, even though his father and some friends will win £10,000 when he does earn a cap. The bet was made when the Liverpool goalkeeper was still a boy. Eriksson does expect to end their wait for the pay-out one day.

For the moment, though, his objective is to keep a settled line-up ticking over. The manager denies that the recent animosity between Manchester United and Arsenal could warp the harmony of his squad and he cannot conceive of Gary Neville, the Old Trafford right-back, being as aggressive towards Highbury's Spanish winger Jose Antonio Reyes as he was last month.

"It was one of those games," Eriksson said of the meeting between United and Arsenal that so concerned the FA.

"As a manager, I've been in them many times. It's difficult. They are not 22 robots going out there; they are human beings and they feel that game. They don't want to lose it. One small kick there, a little bit bigger next time, and so on."

Nowadays at least, such club agendas do not affect England's scheme. "If you take Ashley Cole and Gary Neville, they will never start arguing about things," Eriksson insisted. "In those games like Manchester United v Arsenal there is a chance that something will happen. It's not a surprise. But this is Spain v England and it's completely different."

None the less, his team will be expected to show its quality in a civilised occasion.