All information is
complete to and including England's last match, the fourth of the 2004-05 season,
against Wales on 9 October 2004.
Diary
Friday, 5 December 2003 -
England were placed in a half-British group for
qualifying for the 2006 World Cup, which took place in Frankfurt this evening
and will involve the Three Lions playing home-and-away fixtures with five other
nations in total, beginning two months after the conclusion of Euro 2004. The
other countries are Northern Ireland, Wales, Poland, Austria and Azerbaijan.
Tuesday, 13 January 2004 - Austria will provide the first opponents
for England as they begin the journey to the World Cup Finals in Germany
in 2006. England are in a group alongside Wales and Northern Ireland as
well as Austria, Poland and Azerbaijan.
Wednesday, 8 September 2004 -
In England's World Cup qualifying match against Poland, Gary Neville
is replaced by Jamie Carragher in the 32nd minute, due to a knee injury.
Monday, 13 September 2004 -
Gary Neville has been ruled out for four weeks after
suffering a hairline fracture of his kneecap.
Tuesday, 21 September 2004 -
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has broken a bone in his foot,
following an x-ray. Gerrard limped off just before half-time during the 2-1
defeat at Manchester United yesterday and will now face two months out of
action. "We are sure he has broken the fifth metatarsal of his
left foot," said Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez. Gerrard
will miss England's World Cup games against Azerbaijan and
Wales in October.
Sunday, 3 October 2004 -
Sven-Göran Eriksson names his 23-man squad to face Wales and Azerbaijan.
He has recalled defender Rio Ferdinand for the World Cup qualifiers.
Ferdinand returns to the England squad after an eight-month drugs ban.
Striker Wayne Rooney was also named in Eriksson's 23-man squad for the first
time since his metatarsal breakage in the Euro 2004 Finals. The squad,
however, is without
the injured Wes Brown, Kieron Dyer, Steven Gerrard and Wayne Bridge.
Michael Owen came off after 52 minutes of Real Madrid's 1-0 defeat by
Deportivo today with what coach Mariano Garcia Remon called a
"slight muscle problem." His fitness will be assessed by England's
medical staff on Tuesday.
Monday, 4 October 2004 - Eriksson confirmed that Owen will be fit to face Wales, that he will
recover from his minor injury.
Tuesday, 5 October 2004 - Michael Owen sits out of England's first training session.
Thursday, 7 October 2004 -
Striker Michael Owen appears to be fit for Saturday's World Cup
qualifier against Wales after looking in good form in training today,
but keeper David James was unable to train after waking up to
find a build-up of fluid on his knee.
Saturday, 9 October 2004 -
England beat Wales 2-0 at Old Trafford, David Beckham receives a hairline fracture
of a rib and knowing he will be out injured, decides to make a clean
disciplinary slate, so he re-enters the field following treatment,
collides into Ben Thatcher, and promptly receives a caution. It
is his second of the qualifying campaign, so not only is he injured
for the next match, but suspended too.
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