Sven-Goran Eriksson is poised to hand international rookie Darius Vassell the key role of spearheading England's World Cup assault alongside Michael Owen.
England coach Eriksson put his team through their paces in a final training session at the Saitama Stadium ahead of Sunday's opening game.
Eriksson's team selection will bear a slightly unfamiliar look after injuries robbed him of key figures such as Liverpool's Steven Gerrard and Manchester United defender Gary Neville.
The Swede is expected to opt for inexperienced Aston Villa striker Vassell as Owen's partner, with Liverpool's Emile Heskey pushed out into a wide left role.
Bayern Munich's Owen Hargreaves is expected to partner Paul Scholes in central midfield, with Leeds' Danny Mills taking Neville's right-back position.
Eriksson would have been tempted by the option of using Newcastle's Kieron Dyer on the left flank, but has admitted his team selection has been shaped by recent injury problems.
Dyer finally declared himself fit after knee problems, but with David Beckham and Nicky Butt having spent lengthy spells on the sidelines, Eriksson is wary of thrusting too many players below full match fitness into Saitama's gruelling humidity.
He said: "We have a lot of players coming back from injury who have not been playing for a while.
"We will not start with all these because it might be a little bit risky. We have had 23 players working with the ball on the training pitch for four days now, which is good for us."
Dyer expects to be named as a substitute, and Eriksson paid tribute to his efforts to get himself fit for action.
He said: "When we left England it seemed very bad for him, but since then he has worked very hard.
"Dyer is fit to play if we need him. He has not only worked hard, he has put in extra hours every evening.
"This has applied to all our injured players, and it has been well done by them and the medical staff."
England (probable): Seaman, Mills, Ferdinand, Campbell, Cole, Beckham (captain) Scholes, Hargreaves, Heskey, Owen, Vassell.
