Eriksson expected to turn to Terry

With a staggering 38 players having been called up in the last two England squads there will be many disappointed footballers when Sven Goran Eriksson names the party to play the forthcoming European Championship qualifiers against Liechtenstein and Turkey.

Eriksson will reveal his squad shortly after attending Arsenal against Everton at Highbury tomorrow afternoon. Already without Ashley Cole he can expect to be told that David Seaman and Sol Campbell are also unlikely to be fit. Further weekend withdrawals are possible and not until after Tuesday's Arsenal v Chelsea FA Cup tie will Eriksson know his full hand.

With 11 days' recovery time before the critical fixture against Turkey at Sunderland on 2 April Eriksson may still be inclined to include Seaman, Campbell and others, with the proviso that they would not be required to travel to Liechtenstein.

The order of fixtures at least means he will be able to give David James, or Paul Robinson, their first taste of competitive action in Vaduz, where England's goalkeeper is unlikely to be seriously exercised unless the game goes badly awry. In front of them Eriksson has a choice of replacing Campbell with either Wes Brown, Jonathan Woodgate or Gareth Southgate. A case can be made for each. Brown is Rio Ferdinand's club team-mate, Woodgate is the most talented of the trio and in form, Southgate the most experienced. The Middlesbrough defender does seem to be losing favour with Eriksson and could make way for John Terry. Eriksson rarely passes up the chance to examine a prospective international at close hand even if, having called up 62 players in his three years, these opportunities are diminishing.

Another potential new face is Gareth Barry, the most in-form left-sided English midfielder in the country. His lack of pace may count against him especially as the players Eriksson regards as his "crown jewels" in midfield, David Beckham, Paul Scholes and Steven Gerrard, are not, even Gerrard, noted for their speed. Instead, the 20-year-old Jermaine Jenas is likely to retain his place after a promising display against Australia to challenge his club-mate Kieron Dyer for the role.

Jenas' emergence will make it a more anxious wait for the squad than usual for Joe Cole. The West Ham United midfielder has played only 28 minutes for England this season, in the opening friendly against Portugal, and was left on the bench against Australia despite the match being played at Upton Park. He will welcome the chance to remind Eriksson of his quality when the England manager watches West Ham this afternoon as, at 21, he is already in danger of being replaced by a younger man.

Not that he is alone there. Darius Vassell, at 22, has done little to justify holding off the challenge of Wayne Rooney, five years his junior. While Emile Heskey is likely to start against Liechtenstein, the prospect of Rooney being given a run in tandem with Michael Owen is tempting enough for Eriksson to consider making room for Rooney by moving Heskey to the left again.

To that end Eriksson will hope Rooney does more than play the last 10 minutes at Highbury as, by then, the Swede will be heading for the exit. Pressed this week on why he leaves matches early, Eriksson admitted it was "to beat the traffic". He pointed out that he watches any significant late action on video. Since Sunday will be the 94th match, including England fixtures, he has attended this season, a desire to avoid the jams is understandable. He does attend far more matches than any previous incumbent and usually he is not, as he noted, "like a supporter. I don't care who wins".

He will care in Vaduz and Sunderland.