International Friendly/England v Croatia Portman Road, 8.0Paul Scholes may not have scored in his last 22 international appearances, a sequence stretching back to England's visit to Greece in June 2001, but his presence is still enough to inspire trepidation among opponents. "The English player we fear the most is Scholes," Boris Zivkovic, the Croatia captain, said last night. "We have to be careful about him."

Exactly how careful depends on whether Scholes can go back to replicating the form for his country he regularly shows for Manchester United, with whom he is, somewhat paradoxically, in his most prolific run of scoring.

Scholes is becoming agitated by the most uncomfortable spell of an England career incorporating 57 caps and 13 goals. "It is worrying me," he admitted. "Scoring is a big part of my job, so if I am not scoring I am not doing my job properly."

Never the less the plaudits keep coming. Otto Baric, Croatia's coach, revealed he is likely to play a five-man midfield to negate the threat posed by Scholes, Steven Gerrard and David Beckham.

"I think England's midfield is one of the strongest in the world," said Baric. "That statistic (Scholes's barren international run) is quite incredible because every coach in the world would like a Scholes."

Despite the FIFA president Sepp Blatter's criticisms of teams using multiple substitutions in friendly matches, Baric made it clear he would indulge in "a night of experimentation".

With Croatia vying with Bulgaria and Belgium to qualify automatically for Euro 2004 from Group Eight, he added: "It is okay for Sepp Blatter to say that, but it is my head on the block, not his. This is a friendly and my only chance to find out my best side."

With Sol Campbell and Jonathan Woodgate both injured, John Terry will face Croatia tonight. It is almost exactly a year since he was cleared on all charges relating to a violent nightclub incident and the Chelsea centre half, who no longer drinks alcohol, has gone on to make great progress in his career.

While mastering the Liverpool forwards on Sunday it seemed, too, that he has an even more powerful physique. "He's improved very much," said Eriksson. "He's quicker and he's playing more regularly for his club."

With the players fresh, the crowd will be spared a procession of substitutions this evening, although it is certain David James will appear only for the first half.

England risk being a team of slender means in attack. The coach has only Michael Owen, Emile Heskey and James Beattie to breach the visitors' defence tonight. On a more grave occasion that would be a cause of disquiet.