Swede will warn against complacency

After savouring a result which demolished, in 90 minutes, a sense of inferiority to German football which had been 30 years in the creation, England return to the training ground this morning with orders to set Munich aside.

With even single-goal wins against Albania, in Newcastle on Wednesday, and Greece, at Old Trafford on 6 October, likely to secure top billing in Group Nine qualifying, England's place in next summer's World Cup finals would appear assured. Sven Goran Eriksson, however, is wary of complacency.

"We must forget this win and concentrate on the next match," said the England coach as he reflected on Saturday's 5-1 drubbing of Germany yesterday. "It would be a small disaster to beat Germany away and then lose to Albania at home." Catastrophic would be a more appropriate word, especially as Ukraine, with Saturday's 2-0 victory over Belarus in Minsk, made it clear that they will not be play-off patsies. Fortunately Albania, whose 3-1 home defeat to England in March was a lot closer than the score suggested, are poor travellers. They also lost at home to Finland at the weekend.

The margin of Saturday's victory has transformed the group's goal difference, leaving Germany four goals adrift. If England win their remaining games Germany would need to beat Finland, in Gelsenkirchen on 6 October, by at least six goals. Since Finland, who have Liverpool's Sami Hyypia at centre-half, have conceded six goals in six games so far, that seems improbable. England can make it inconceivable on Wednesday. Win by four goals and the Germans would need at least nine.

Not that anyone at the FA is taking English progress for granted, not in public at least. They have already lined up friendlies against the Dutch, in Amsterdam, and the Italians, at Leeds, for next spring but are being careful not to follow Germany in making plans for play-off week. Germany had pencilled in friendlies in South Korea on 11 November, and Thailand two days later. This was variously interpreted as stereotypical efficiency, arrogance or simply tempting fate. The FA is thus not commenting on the prospect of taking over those fixtures, though it will undoubtedly be discussed with Eriksson.

With the finals being shared by South Korea and Japan, a match in Seoul would appear a valuable exercise. There is no such reason to visit Bangkok especially since Thailand, despite the FA subsidising Peter Withe's successful appointment as their national coach, voted in support of Germany hosting the 2006 World Cup. Eriksson may thus decline this match, citing the need to compromise with club managers.

For the moment Eriksson is only interested in Albania. Having flown to Newcastle directly after the game, the squad were allowed yesterday off to share their glory with their families at the team's County Durham hotel. This morning they return to work with Eriksson cheered by the knowledge that everybody is fit and available. He is thus likely to opt for an unchanged team. Every ticket at St James' Park has long been sold and a rapturous reception is guaranteed.