Rio Ferdinand has backed Peter Crouch to give Ukraine a torrid time tomorrow night and help England take a major step towards qualifying for the 2010 World Cup.

The Portsmouth striker is only starting the Group Six clash because Emile Heskey and Carlton Cole are injured, while Darren Bent limped out of training today with a knee tendon problem and has returned to Tottenham.

Yet Rio Ferdinand thinks Crouch's unique style means he can cause havoc against a side who are initially more likely to be preoccupied with Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney after the pair starred in Saturday's 4-0 friendly win over Slovakia.

“Crouchy has always done well when he has played for England, and he is a different type of striker from any other in the squad,” said Ferdinand, who returns to the starting XI after recovering from a back problem.

“Lots of players at international level don't know how to deal with him. He is a quality player who knows his strengths, and if we play to them, then we'll see a good performance from him. He can be very awkward to mark. He is so tall, so he is different from what you face most weeks in the Premier League. If he receives the right balls into him, he can be unplayable.

“He has a much better touch than most people give him credit for, and he is a good striker of the ball, so I am sure he can do well for us.”
With Bent out, Capello called up Gabriel Agbonlahor in his place after consulting his club Aston Villa.

It is an unexpected chance for Agbonlahor, who was initially demoted to the Under-21 squad before pulling out with a hamstring strain, but represents another blow for Michael Owen.

Frank Lampard yesterday expressed his belief that Owen would earn an international recall but Ferdinand thinks the Newcastle striker can have no complaints at the moment.

The Manchester United defender said: “In the last couple of years, he has not put himself in the frame to be an England player, because of injury.

“If he was playing, I am sure the manager would give him a crack of the whip, if he was in good enough form. If players are playing well, they get the opportunity to play.”

After scoring twice against Slovakia, England will look again to Rooney for goals, and Ferdinand admitted: “When Wayne is confident and playing well, there are not many better sights in football. We have had an amazing amount of injuries to our forwards, but Wayne is a vital member of the squad.

“The hunger and desire he shows can only bode well for the future. Watching the Slovakia game, it was great to see Wayne and Steven Gerrard's passing and movement, and the way they dovetailed. They were doing exactly what the manager asked of them. Slowly but surely, the manager is getting us to where he wants us to be.”

Rooney was voted England fans' Player of the Year for 2008, yet his success and Gerrard's also highlights the one weakness in England's team.
Capello's system requires a strong, powerful centre-forward to play alone in attack, and even allowing for the injuries, the Italian cannot count on a player in the class of Alan Shearer.

Former England boss Graham Taylor said: “If Capello is saying his main gameplan is to have a big man up front, then it could be an issue.
“There are not too many English strikers who can play the target man role in the game now. Once you get through Heskey, Cole and Crouch, there aren't too many left to choose from.”