Eriksson said: It’s nice to have David back with us after

Eriksson said: “It’s nice to have David back with us after his injury. I’m sure that he and Michael Owen will be especially motivated for this game.”I’m delighted that Michael has found his goalscoring form at Real Madrid. He has shown his determination to be successful there and I never doubted that he would do well. It is always difficult in the beginning to adjust to a new team, language and culture.”Although a broken ankle has ruled out Aston Villa’s Darius Vassell, Eriksson has chosen not to bring any more forwards into his squad. Crystal Palace’s Andy Johnson, the leading English goalscorer in the Premiership, was considered but did not have a chance to press his claim on Saturday when he missed his team’s 3-2 defeat at Liverpool because of a hip injury.Eriksson, however, had encouraging words for the 23-year-old striker. “Andrew Johnson has done extremely well and has had an excellent season so far,” England’s head coach said. “It’s unlucky for him that he’s injured now, but we will keep an eye on him with the next friendly against Holland in mind and see how he progresses.”Birmingham City’s Matthew Upson returns to the squad as cover in central defence.

This week the boot could be on the other foot as England take on Spain in a friendly international in Madrid at the Bernabeu Stadium on Wednesday.
While six goals in seven games, including another strike in last night’s 6-1 victory over Albacete, have lit up Owen’s Madrid season after a difficult start, Beckham returned to training only last week after the controversy surrounding his injury and suspension following England’s match against Wales at Old Trafford last month.The England captain did, however, play the full 90 minutes for Real last night and looked to have recovered from the broken rib he sustained in a rash challenge on Ben Thatcher. Beckham then found himself in hot water after publicly admitting that he had set out to get himself booked in order to use up the suspension, although the Football Association subsequently decided not to take any disciplinary action against him.Beckham returns to the England fold after Sven Goran Eriksson named a 22-man squad for Wednesday’s game, which will be played at the Bernabeu, the club home of their captain and vice-captain. That tackle earned Beckham a yellow card for a second foul on the Wales defender and he was suspended from the following week’s game against Azerbaijan. Substitutes not used: Ashdown (gk), Ciss?eferee: G Poll (Hertfordshire).Booked: Southampton: Delap. Portsmouth: Faye, De Zeeuw, Quashie.Man of the match: LuaLua.Attendance: 30,921.. Just six weeks ago, David Beckham was giving moral support to Michael Owen, his Real Madrid club colleague, as England prepared for their World Cup qualifiers against Wales and Azerbaijan This week the boot could be on the other foot. But I would love to see Harry stay.”If Patrik Berger had shot under the bar and Keller had not made a stunning, late save from Matthew Taylor, Portsmouth would have sneaked a deserved win.

Redknapp would have been the hero and Wigley might have been sacked. That’s football – it’s as simple as that.Goals: Jakobsson (12 og) 0-1; Blackstock (18) 1-1; Phillips (71) 2-1.Southampton (4-4-2): Keller; Kenton, Lundekvam, Jakobsson (Dodd, 16), Le Saux; A Svensson, Delap, Telfer, Fernandes (Griffit, 80); Beattie (Phillips, 68), Blackstock. Substitutes not used: Blayney (gk), Crouch.Portsmouth (4-4-2): Hislop; Primus, De Zeeuw, Stefanovic, Unsworth (Taylor, 79); O’Neil, Faye, Quashie, Berger (Griffin, 79); Yakubu (Fuller, 36), LuaLua. Hopefully people can let us get on with our jobs.”And that is exactly the situation Redknapp wants at Portsmouth.

Redknapp conceded that Mandaric calls the shots and he should build a long-term structure for Portsmouth, but do not talk to him about directors of football. It did not help that Mandaric watched the game alongside a friend linked with the job – George Best.”The chairman said he’s looking to bring somebody in on the board who knows about football He could always ask me,” Redknapp said. “He’s talking about George Best or someone.” Asked if he would be happy that he would retain control, Redknapp replied: “If I’m not in control, I’m not here.”It is another Redknapp-Mandaric argument that is likely to develop over this week. They could make up like they did at the end of last season, but Best hardly helped with his clinical view.

The Manchester United legend backed Redknapp, but also said: “There was a lot of speculation off the pitch, with both sides struggling. That’s a sad part of football, but it’s always going to happen.”At the moment, there’s nothing to say about my role. I think people are making too much out of what’s going on between Harry and Milan.”I don’t really go for the director of football thing,” Best added “It’s all titles – there’s a chairman, a manager and a team Simple as that If someone comes in then someone will leave That’s always the way in football. “I had a vision when I was on the bench that I’d come on and score the winner.”If only football was always so simple. Southampton had had to battle back from a self-inflicted wound in the form of Andreas Jakobsson’s 12th-minute own goal, following a collision between Portsmouth forward Lomana LuaLua and on-loan goalkeeper Kasey Keller.Blackstock justified Wigley’s gamble by equalising six minutes later, before Phillips settled the game with a header two minutes after coming on as substitute for the fit-again James Beattie, one of five changes to the Southampton side that conceded five goals at Watford in the League Cup.Phillips added: “We had to win after Tuesday’s result The players had a meeting and ironed out a few problems.