Owen - sat out training but will be fit for Friday.

By John Curtis, PA Sport, Kobe

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Michael Owen and Paul Scholes are on course to be fit for England's World Cup quarter-final clash with Brazil in Shizuoka on Friday.

The duo did not take part in England's training session at their Awaji Island headquarters on Wednesday but both will join in with full training on Thursday.

Owen - nicknamed the "killer" by Sven-Goran Eriksson because of his deadly finishing - suffered a groin injury after two minutes of Saturday's 3-0 win over Denmark in the second phase in Niigata and was eventually substituted at half-time.

Scholes picked up a minor foot problem and he was eventually replaced by Kieron Dyer after five minutes of the second half.

Owen's pace will be a key factor if England are to stand a realistic chance of beating the Brazilians whose Achilles heel may be their defence.

Scholes has formed an effective partnership in the centre of the park with his Manchester United team-mate Nicky Butt.

Another plus point for England was that Bayern Munich midfielder Owen Hargreaves completed his first full training session since picking up a leg injury in the early stages of the victory over Argentina.

Hargreaves was one of England's best players in the warm-up programme ahead of the World Cup but his injury has given an opportunity to Trevor Sinclair.