England boss Sven Goran Eriksson has deemed Wayne Rooney "match fit" for tonight's clash with Trinidad & Tobago.
The FA flew Professor Angus Wallace to Germany yesterday to see how Rooney's broken toe is healing.
Now Eriksson hopes to use his superstar striker as a sub, saying: "For me, Wayne Rooney is match-fit."
But Gary Neville is OUT for 10 days with a calf injury - meaning he will miss tonight's game, the Sweden clash and England's first knockout match.
Eriksson added: "Whether Rooney will play some part in the game, I have not decided.
"Let me sleep on it. Tomorrow I will decide. Almost for sure he will not be starting against Trinidad. He doesn't yet have 90 minutes in his legs."
England coach Eriksson has always insisted he will be the man who decides when Rooney returns after a row with the player's Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson.
But the FA agreed with United that independent specialist Prof Wallace would first give Rooney the all-clear.
The doc was scheduled to fly to Germany tomorrow but the FA brought his flight forward.
Prof Wallace last night confirmed: "I am going to speak with England. There will be a report on Thursday afternoon and maybe an announcement after that. I have got nothing more to say."
Eriksson has come under pressure from FA chief executive Brian Barwick not to go it alone.
He admitted: "There have been a lot of discussions with Brian and every day with the medical staff. My opinion is that Wayne is match fit. He has looked good in training. In fact he looks excellent.
"I don't want to say any more about him until after the match. But I must admit that I will be extremely happy and relieved when all this Rooney thing is over."
The FA flew Professor Angus Wallace to Germany yesterday to see how Rooney's broken toe is healing.
Now Eriksson hopes to use his superstar striker as a sub, saying: "For me, Wayne Rooney is match-fit."
But Gary Neville is OUT for 10 days with a calf injury - meaning he will miss tonight's game, the Sweden clash and England's first knockout match.
Eriksson added: "Whether Rooney will play some part in the game, I have not decided.
"Let me sleep on it. Tomorrow I will decide. Almost for sure he will not be starting against Trinidad. He doesn't yet have 90 minutes in his legs."
England coach Eriksson has always insisted he will be the man who decides when Rooney returns after a row with the player's Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson.
But the FA agreed with United that independent specialist Prof Wallace would first give Rooney the all-clear.
The doc was scheduled to fly to Germany tomorrow but the FA brought his flight forward.
Prof Wallace last night confirmed: "I am going to speak with England. There will be a report on Thursday afternoon and maybe an announcement after that. I have got nothing more to say."
Eriksson has come under pressure from FA chief executive Brian Barwick not to go it alone.
He admitted: "There have been a lot of discussions with Brian and every day with the medical staff. My opinion is that Wayne is match fit. He has looked good in training. In fact he looks excellent.
"I don't want to say any more about him until after the match. But I must admit that I will be extremely happy and relieved when all this Rooney thing is over."
