Wide midfielders - Sinclair and McManaman.

By Reece Killworth

INTERNATIONAL PERFORMANCE

Great things have been expected of Steve McManaman ever since he burst to prominence with Liverpool.

Unfortunately for England he has never really managed to reach those expectations consistently.

Of his 37 caps, 25 have come as a starter yet he has seldom hit the heights in international football.

McManaman is often the player people hope can fill England's problematic left-sided midfield role but inconsistency has been his downfall.

He has shone on several occasions - against Portugal in Euro 2000 for example - but has been ineffective on others.

His move to Spain has been a double-edged sword.

He has won worldwide recognition as part of the Real Madrid side that won the Champions League in 2000 but his England career has been stalled.

Sinclair, on the other hand, feels his club career has ground to a halt.

The West Ham winger handed in a transfer request earlier in the season but withdrew it three months before the end of the campaign.

However, he is still looking to leave Upton Park to further his international prospects.

For despite featuring in full England squads since the mid-1990s, Sinclair has picked up just two full caps.

The first came in the friendly against Sweden last November while he also started against Italy in March.

But with only 131 minutes of international experience, it's impossible to give him the edge over McManaman.

McMANAMAN 7/10, SINCLAIR 6/10

FORM THIS SEASON

McManaman's season can be pretty well summed up in his last 10 appearances.

At the time of writing those 10 games featured nine appearances as a substitute, two for as little as seven minutes between them.

As if competing with the likes of Luis Figo and Zinedine Zidane wasn't enough, McManaman has now been forced to play second fiddle to Argentine Santiago Solari.

So although he has appeared in 34 games, the Liverpudlian has been reduced to a bit-part role and has struggled to find his top form.

Sinclair, on the other hand, is having his best season for years.

His form for West Ham impressed Sven-Goran Eriksson sufficiently to earn him a call into the Swede's England squad.

Although it dipped when he handed in his transfer request, he was soon back to his best as he looked to nail down a place in the World Cup squad.

McMANAMAN 6/10, SINCLAIR 7/10

PACE

'Deceptive' is often the word used to describe McManaman's speed.

His loping, seemingly disinterested, style hides a genuine turn of pace.

He is no Michael Owen but is nevertheless a dangerous runner.

If McManaman's pace is deceptive, Sinclair's is obvious to anyone that has seen him play.

The Hammers midfielder puts McManaman in the shade and his speedy runs down the wing are a genuine threat to opposing defences.

McMANAMAN 7/10, SINCLAIR 8/10

SKILL LEVEL

There are few more skilful English players than McManaman.

Indeed probably only Joe Cole can boast a better array of tricks than the Real Madrid man.

With the ball at his feet he has the ability to bamboozle even the tightest of defences.

Sinclair also has an impressive box of tricks, although he is more reliant on his pace to beat players.

McMANAMAN 9/10, SINCLAIR 8/10

STRENGTH

Despite being two inches smaller than McManaman, Sinclair has the advantage of being almost two stone heavier than his rival.

And that weight difference is obvious when comparing their strength.

McManaman's wiry frame makes him easy to knock off the ball and the more powerful defenders can get the better of him, assuming of course they can get close enough to him.

Admittedly McManaman will rarely have to rely on his strength given his pace and skill, but it is always a useful weapon in a winger's armoury.

Sinclair has the benefit of a strong upper body and uses it to his benefit against the weaker full-backs.

Although he does not have the power of the likes of Lee Bowyer and Steven Gerrard, he has enough strength to hold his own on the wing and is no slouch when it comes to physical confrontation.

That sees him edge out McManaman.

McMANAMAN 6/10, SINCLAIR 7/10

GOAL THREAT

Neither player will go down as a great goalscorer from midfield, but both can be relied on for at least five or six goals a season.

McManaman's record of just over 70 goals in almost 450 games works out at an average of a goal every six games or so.

Sinclair has scored almost exactly the same amout of goals, albeit in 50 or so more games.

The West Ham man is yet to break his duck at international level, while McManaman has weighed in with three goals - the most notable of which came against Portugal in Euro 2000.

But having established both players are not great goalscorers, it is fair to say they have both built reputations for themselves as scorers of great goals.

McManaman's crowning moment came in a UEFA Cup clash for Liverpool against Celtic in September 1997.

The winger picked up the ball in his own half, sped goalwards past three or four desperate defenders and unleashed a fine curling shot into the corner of the net.

Sinclair can draw attention to a couple of fine goals to illustrate the point.

Then with QPR, the midfielder scored what has been described as "the goal by which all overhead kicks are now judged" against Barnsley in the 1996-97 FA Cup.

Sinclair leapt in the air 20 yards from goal to meet a cross from the right and struck a magnificent bicycle kick which nearly ripped the net off.

Four years later he was at it again as he connected in a similar fashion with a cross from Paolo di Canio to score for West Ham against Derby in the Premiership.

So it's impossible to separate the duo when it comes to goal threat.

McMANAMAN 7/10, SINCLAIR 7/10

TOTALS: McMANAMAN 42, SINCLAIR 43

SPORTINGLIFE.COM VERDICT

Our stats give the edge to Sinclair, but picking between these two could well prove to be one of Eriksson's trickiest tasks.

With the problem of England's left side seemingly yet to be solved, this could also be Eriksson's key selection.

He must basically choose between the man with international experience or the man in form.

McManaman's match fitness must be in question as he has been reduced to a bit-part player, while Sinclair is at the top of his game.

Both players would have the motivation to do well, with McManaman looking to nail down a starting role for Real and Sinclair keen to secure a move from Upton Park.

But has Sinclair done enough in his two caps to impress Eriksson sufficiently to edge out McManaman?

Only time will tell.