Euro 2012 Qualifying: Switzerland vs England Preview

All eyes will be on Wayne Rooney this evening as England take on Switzerland in their second Euro 2012 qualifier in Group G.

Capello is backing Rooney and naming him in the lineup even after all of the talk about his current state of mind. He has dominated the back and front pages of newspapers after allegations about his private life.

We don't know which Rooney will turn up in Basel. Will it be the goal machine who scored 38 last season, or will it be the Wayne we saw in South Africa who was scared of shooting?

England pleased their fans last week when they got their Euro 2012 journey off to a flying start. They dominated the game and won 4-0, with Jermain Defoe getting a hat-trick, and Adam Johnson scoring his first international goal. 

Rooney may not have scored, but he had a hand in all four goals.

This game is expected to be England's toughest of the qualifying campaign. 

Switzerland are no pushovers, as they proved in the World Cup when they managed to beat Spain. 

Ottmar Hitzfeld has created a typically gritty Swiss side. They didn't manage to get through to the knockout stages of the World Cup, but they did only concede one goal.

England are very confident going into this game, after their latest victory. If Jermain Defoe continues his lethal form in front of goal, then Switzerland will be in trouble.


Team News

Chelsea duo Frank Lampard and John Terry will still be out of the team with injuries, so Steven Gerrard and Gareth Barry are expected to continue in the heart of midfield.

Michael Dawson suffered a horrible knee injury against Bulgaria and will not be able to play for a few weeks.

Switzerland have a Rooney of their own. Alexander Frei is usually a machine in front of goal with 40 goals in 78 games, but at the moment he is in the midst of a goal drought. 

He hasn't scored in a year for his country, and is now receiving jeers from his own fans after missing a penalty in their 0-0 friendly against Australia on Friday.

Philippe Senderos has been sidelined with a long-term injury while goalkeeper Diego Benaglio is unavailable due to being on paternity leave.

Possible starting XI

England: Hart, G Johnson, Jagielka, Cahill, A Cole, Barry, Gerrard, Milner, Walcott, Rooney, Defoe

Switzerland: Wolfli, Lichsteiner, Grichting, Von Bergen, Ziegler, Fernandes, Degen, Barnetta, Inler, Frei, Derdiyok