The England manager, Sven-Goran Eriksson, has said that he will take 23 players to Dubai, prior to the World Cup and will name this provisional squad on May 9 - he was originally going to name his squad on May 7 but will now wait until after the Premiership league games on May 8 (including Manchester United v Arsenal). England are due to fly out to Dubai on May 13.

By May 21 Eriksson will have to name his official 23 man squad to take to the World Cup - it now appears that David Beckham will be fit for the start of the World Cup - if he is still injured he could be named in the squad on May 21 as FIFA will allow him to be replaced (due to injury) up to 24 hours before the tournament starts on May 31.
 
At this stage the probable players to go to the World Cup are:

GOALKEEPERS (3)
David Seaman
Nigel Martyn
David James
(Probably just missing out on a place: Richard Wright)
 
CENTRAL DEFENDERS (4)
Rio Ferdinand
Sol Campbell
Gareth Southgate
Wes Brown
(Probably just missing out on a place: Martin Keown, Ugo Ehiogu, Ledley King and Gareth Barry)
 
RIGHT/LEFT BACK (4)
[Gary Neville will not go to the World Cup (see the latest on the Gary Neville injury here)]
Danny Mills
Ashley Cole
Wayne Bridge
Phil Neville
(Probably just missing out on a place: Jamie Carragher, Chris Powell and Graham Le Saux)
 
MIDFIELD (7)
David Beckham (see the latest on the Beckham injury here)
Steven Gerrard
Paul Scholes
Kieron Dyer
Nicky Butt
Owen Hargreaves
Joe Cole
(Probably just missing out on a place: Trevor Sinclair, Danny Murphy, Frank Lampard, Steve McManaman, Lee Bowyer, Darren Anderton, Nick Barmby and Ray Parlour)
 
ATTACK (5)
Michael Owen
Emile Heskey
Robbie Fowler
Teddy Sheringham
Darius Vassell
(Probably just missing out on a place: Matt Jansen, Andrew Cole, Alan Smith, Kevin Phillips, Michael Ricketts)
 

The England squad leading up to Euro 2000
 

Players below that are marked with a *  were selected for the Euro 2000 squad:

DAVID SEAMAN* (ARSENAL) - GOALKEEPER
David Seaman, having returned from injury earlier this year, has reclaimed the No 1 spot in goal for Arsenal and is should be favourite for the No1 jersey for England - played in Euro 96, World Cup 98 and Euro 2000 and is still playing well this year.

NIGEL MARTYN* (LEEDS)  - GOALKEEPER
Has the title No 2 goalkeeper for England - has made some mistakes in the England shirt but has also had some good performances - is a quality goalkeeper and should go to Japan.

DAVID JAMES (WEST HAM) - GOALKEEPER
Got the "what is he going to do next" tag when he started with Liverpool and did not have a good start in the England shirt - he has now overtaken Ian Walker and Richard Wright in the pecking order and may well go to Japan as the No 3 goalkeeper.

RICHARD WRIGHT (ARSENAL) - GOALKEEPER
Did very well in goal last year for Ipswich - is now being kept out of the 1st team for Arsenal by David Seaman and may well miss the World Cup 2002 - could well be the No 1 for the World Cup 2006, however.

 

RIO FERDINAND* (LEEDS) - CENTRAL DEFENCE
Great at passing the ball out of defence and now seen as a solid defender - with Tony Adams retired from international football, he should start for England in the World Cup.

SOL CAMPBELL (ARSENAL)* - CENTRAL DEFENCE
Played in World Cup 1998 and Euro 2000 and is a certain starter in the World Cup if fit - played with Ferdinand in central defence in the 5-1 win against Germany - England always look better in defence in recent times with them at the middle of it.

GARETH SOUTHGATE* (MIDDLESBRO) - CENTRAL DEFENCE
Played in Euro 96, World Cup 98 and Euro 2000 - still playing well and had some good England games recently - should be in the final squad.

WES BROWN (MAN UTD) - CENTRAL DEFENCE/RIGHT BACK
Wes Brown has come back well from injury in recent weeks and has been playing well in central defence and at right back for Manchester United - he is probably favourite for the fourth spot to cover in central defence as he can play well at right back too.

MARTIN KEOWN* (ARSENAL) - CENTRAL DEFENCE
Looks like he has fully recovered from his broken leg injury earlier this year and could well challenge Wes Brown a place in the final squad. Ugo Ehiogu is now an outsider for the last place if four central defenders are taken to the World Cup.

GARY NEVILLE* (MAN UTD) - RIGHT BACK
Unquestioned first choice at right back for England before his injury, and could have also covered in central defence - a certainty for the England before he got a broken foot on 24 April - on 3 May, Gary Neville has said that he will not recover from injury in time to go to the World Cup.

ASHLEY COLE (ARSENAL) - LEFT BACK
Has now recovered from his long injury after playing well last year for England in the problem position of left back - is a good attacking left back and looks back to full fitness now.

WAYNE BRIDGE (SOUTHAMPTON) - LEFT BACK
Has had a couple of good games for England now and may challenge Ashley Cole as first choice left back in the World Cup..

DANNY MILLS (LEEDS UTD) - RIGHT BACK
Eriksson has been impressed with Danny Mills in his games for Leeds and England this year and he is likely to be the main beneficiary of the injury to Gary Neville. Will probably now be included in the final squad. 

JAMIE CARRAGHER (LIVERPOOL) - RIGHT OR LEFT BACK
Either Jamie or Phil Neville* (Man Utd) will probably get into the World Cup squad as they have experience in playing in both the left and right back roles for their clubs - they are also fairly experienced with England.

 

DAVID BECKHAM* (MAN UTD) - MIDFIELD: RIGHT/CENTRE
England Captain - was playing well for England and his club but became injured on 10 April 2002 with a broken foot - will hopefully be fit for the start of the World Cup. Best on right wing but can play in central midfield too. Should be picked in squad even if only available for later stages of World Cup!

STEVEN GERRARD* (LIVERPOOL) - MIDFIELD: CENTRE/RIGHT
When he plays well he is very very good - excellent at getting the ball off the opposition and good at distributing and striking from distance - is prone to injury but will go to the World Cup and should start if fit. He had a great game in the right wing position in the recent friendly against Paraguay.

PAUL SCHOLES* (MAN UTD) - MIDFIELD: CENTRE
His best position is as the more attacking central midfielder, as has been proved this year for his club. Again, a certain starter for England unless injured.

KIERON DYER (NEWCASTLE UTD) - MIDFIELD: CENTRE/RIGHT/LEFT
Has come back well from injury for his club after playing well for them last year. Can play anywhere in midfield and has played at right back too. Will almost certainly be in the World Cup squad, even though he was not convincing in the left wing role against Paraguay.

NICKY BUTT (MAN UTD) - MIDFIELD: CENTRE
A good squad player for Manchester United and Sven may consider using him in a similar role for England - he would be the cover for Gerrard or Scholes - after recent very good performances for Manchester United he looks like beating off competition for this place from Danny Murphy who has also been playing well for Liverpool (and England).

OWEN HARGREAVES (BAYERN MUNICH) - MIDFIELD: CENTRE/RIGHT/LEFT
Had a very good game against Paraguay recently in central midfield and then at right back - has been playing well for Bayern Munich this year and so has gained lots of international experience in the Champions League - he could be in the final England squad too.

FRANK LAMPARD (CHELSEA) - MIDFIELD: CENTRE
Has been playing very well in the centre of midfield for Chelsea this season but has yet to repeat this form at the England senior level. He could retain his place in the England squad but may just lose out.

DARREN ANDERTON (TOTTENHAM) - MIDFIELD: CENTRE/RIGHT
Darren was involved in Euro 96 and the World Cup 98 and had been playing well for Tottenham in the centre of midfield this season although he has lost some form of late - he is an outsider though for inclusion in the final England squad as he has not played for England recently. Frank Lampard, Owen Hargreaves and Joe Cole will consider themselves above Anderton in the pecking order.

STEVE MCMANAMAN* (REAL MADRID) - MIDFIELD: LEFT/RIGHT/CENTRE
Steve has found it difficult to get in the Real Madrid team of late and has been excluded from the recent England squads - he will therefore probably miss out on being involved in this year's finals unless other players get injured.

NICK BARMBY* (LIVERPOOL) - MIDFIELD: LEFT/RIGHT
Was in the Euro 96 and Euro 2000 squads and was Sven's favourite left winger during World Cup 2002 qualification. Has been injured at the start of this year and cannot get into his club team (Liverpool) since returning from injury - is therefore unlikely to be picked for the final England squad.

TREVOR SINCLAIR (WEST HAM) - MIDFIELD: LEFT/RIGHT
May well get into the England squad as plays on the right or left wing but his place must now be in doubt as  Joe Cole had a superb game against Paraguay.

 

MICHAEL OWEN* (LIVERPOOL) - ATTACK
Another certain starter for England, unless he suffers from hamstring problems as he often does. England fans will be hoping he is uninjured and on form - if he is he will be one of the stars of the competition. May well retain the England captaincy unless Beckham can return from injury.

EMILE HESKEY* (LIVERPOOL) - ATTACK
Played in the 5-1 win against Germany with Michael Owen up front and often plays along side him at club level. Is probably the favourite to start along side him at the World Cup 2002.

ROBBIE FOWLER* (LEEDS UTD) - ATTACK
Another excellent player who has featured highly in Sven's plans during World Cup qualification - did well recently in the friendly against Italy and should be in the England final squad.

TEDDY SHERINGHAM (TOTTENHAM) - ATTACK
The very experienced Sheringham was considered too old for Euro 2000 but was in Euro 96 and the World Cup 98 - he helped England qualify directly for the World Cup 2002 and is popular in most of the media for a squad place for the finals - he is not fast on the grass but he is an intelligent and different player. With Alan Shearer saying he will not play for England again, Teddy stands a better chance of being included as the experienced forward in the squad.

DARIUS VASSELL (ASTON VILLA) - ATTACK
A surprise choice for the friendly against Holland - he scored in that game and got another goal in his third game against Paraguay - may well now be in the final World Cup squad.

ANDY COLE (BLACKBURN ROVERS) - ATTACK
Now has a League Cup medal with Blackburn to add to the ones he gained with Manchester United but will have to improve his game if he is to add a World Cup winners medal too this year. Alan Smith and Matt Jansen may well challenge him for a squad place if there are injuries to other attackers.

KEVIN PHILLIPS* (SUNDERLAND) - ATTACK
Will Sven take four or five strikers in the squad - even if he takes five, Kevin appears to have only a slight chance of going to Japan.