England need only a draw against Italy in Rome on Saturday to top their World Cup group and qualify automatically for next summer's tournament in France. Playing to win, as manager Glenn Hoddle insists they will, could lead to defeat and the prospect of a two-legged play-off against one of the others runners-up.

So, again, it is all a question of balance; the balance of the team, its priorities and the way Hoddle wants to play it.

"We're leaving a day earlier than usual," Hoddle pointed out. "The pressure builds up subconsciously when you stay in this country and we can do without that. It's not as if we're playing Italy at Wembley having to win. We haven't quite got that situation. Nevertheless, we know that getting the result we need in Rome will be difficult.

"Manchester United beating Juventus last week and England beating Italy in the summer, these are very small factors now. This is not going to be the difference between us winning or drawing and losing come Saturday. It's going to be about which team can get closest to their natural game under pressure. "We've got to make sure that all our players go down that tunnel on Saturday night believing they can do the job. It's the crunch game, it was always the crunch game."

Hoddle is under no illusions about what awaits his team in Rome. "Italy is a tough fixture for any country," he said. "You've always got to give the Italians respect. They've beaten us at home so in many ways they are the favourites to win this game." In February a goal from Gianfranco Zola beat an England team lacking David Seaman, Tony Adams and Teddy Sheringham. All three will play on Saturday and while the loss of Alan Shearer has diminished Hoddle's chances of victory, he is confident that given the available experience he can still send out a side capable of avoiding another defeat. Adams, who missed training yesterday just to have a rest after his busy comeback from injury, will probably captain England. Gareth Southgate and Sol Campbell are expected to support him in defence, with Ince and David Batty in midfield, David Beckham on the right and Sheringham and Ian Wright up front.

The position on the left, however, looks relatively open with Phil Neville and Andy Hinchcliffe each a plausible alternative to Graeme Le Saux.

Rome will refuse to go under siege when England fans flood in for Saturday's match, the city's top administrative official insisted yesterday. "We will do the same as we did for the match between Juventus and Ajax Amsterdam," the Rome prefect Giorgio Musio told Italian radio, referring to the 1996 Champions League final. "There will be no problems, even if it is what's considered a high risk match."

British police have warned the Italian authorities that as many as 700 known British football hooligans could be among 9,000 English fans expected to travel to the match.