Now, eyes are on Walcott!

In a post-game training session with the subs, an over-eager Rooney ran into the back of striker Theo Walcott. Walcott suffered a minor calf injury but has been cleared to play on Thursday against Trinidad and Tobago in Nuremburg.

Now, the question is whether he’ll play or not. While England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson is said to be leaning towards playing Rooney, British fans are starting to ask about the 17-year-old surprise selection to the squad.

Walcott has not yet played in a Premier League game.

Former England Alan Shearer said on Sunday that keeping Walcott on the bench, considering the availability of Rooney, the fitness level of Michael Owen and the yellow-card status of Peter Crouch, makes little sense. “The logical thing to have done would have been to throw Walcott on — we know he has pace which is something defenders hate — but how do you make that judgment when no-one has seen him play or knows what he can or can’t do?” Shearer told the Sun. “Why take him to the tournament if you’re not going to put him on?” Walcott was included in the English squad over the likes of Jermain Defoe and Darren Bent.

“He’s either ready or he isn’t,” Shearer said. “If I was in his shoes, or had been sent home like Jermain Defoe or left out like Darren Bent, I’d be thinking ‘Hang on, the manager’s got a midfielder playing off the centre forward.

“It seems strange to me and it does look like a gamble now Peter Crouch is halfway towards a suspension.”

“Theo has a slight knock and it has been strapped up for compression purposes,” the FA confirmed. “It’s precautionary and after a day off on Monday he will take part in our next training session on Tuesday.” Walcott will undergo medical tests today to ascertain whether he can resume full training or whether he will be restricted to light jogging.