Reds quartet could face Brazil
Four United players will return to Wembley this week when England
face Brazil in a friendly before travelling to Estonia in a crucial
qualifier for Euro 2008.
Wes Brown, Michael Carrick, Rio Ferdinand and England B goalscorer
Alan Smith are all in the senior squad named by Steve McClaren but
Wayne Rooney misses out through suspension. There are also two
former Reds in the 26-man party - Phil Neville and David Beckham,
whose first call-up since the 2006 World Cup grabbed all the
headlines.
Ferdinand is the only regular England starter among the current
United quartet but Brown may join him in defence in the absence of
Gary Neville. Carrick will compete, as usual, with Chelsea's Frank
Lampard and Liverpool's Steven Gerrard for a central midfield
berth. Meanwhile Smith's goal against Albania could boost his
chances of being selected ahead of Peter Crouch or Michael Owen up
front.
All four United players involved will hope for a better result than
they achieved at their first visit to the new Wembley, in the FA
Cup final; 0-1 was also the scoreline when England last played at
the old stadium, against Germany, in October 2000.
England squad vs Brazil (Wembley, 1 June), Estonia (Tallinn, 6
June)
Robinson (Spurs), Carson (Liverpool), Green (West Ham); Neville
(Everton), Ferdinand, Brown (Man Utd), Terry, Bridge Chelsea),
Carragher (Liverpool), Dawson, King (Spurs), Shorey (Reading);
Beckham (Real Madrid), Gerrard (Liverpool), Jenas, Lennon (Spurs),
Lampard, J Cole (Chelsea), Bentley (Blackburn), Carrick (Man Utd),
Downing (Middlesbro), Dyer (Newcastle); Crouch (Liverpool), Owen
(Newcastle), Smith (Man Utd), Defoe (Spurs).