Returning Rooney ready to fire in group decider

Wayne Rooney's time as nervous spectator is over and England's talisman is certain to return to the starting line-up for the Group D decider against Ukraine.

 Now it is the co-hosts who are sweating over their star striker's involvement in their date with destiny as the totemic Andriy Shevchenko continues to struggle with a knee injury.

 Rooney's suspension was hard enough for England to swallow; should Ukraine take to the field without the retiring Shevchenko, a small shred of the nation's footballing soul will have been lost forever.

 Rooney's return throws up a series of selection dilemmas for Roy Hodgson, given that both Andy Carroll and Danny Welbeck offered potent auditions to partner him in the 3-2 win over Sweden.

 The manager has decreed the conundrum a "classic manager's headache".

 Carroll's presence would obviously complement a more arterial approach, while Welbeck would represent a significant test of Ukraine's ability to stay tight to a player with far more dynamic movement.

 They could both miss out, though Ashley Young's unremarkable shift against Sweden will count against him playing a supporting role to Rooney.

 Theo Walcott's game-changing cameo in Kiev has provided Hodgson with another quandary, provided he is fully recovered from the latest occurrence of his hamstring injury, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain offered glimpses in the draw with France that, despite his tender years, he can open doors at international level.

 England need only draw to go through but, with Spain the reward for a runners-up spot in Group D, and Ukraine needing a victory to qualify, they will sit back at their peril.

 As for Ukraine, the delirium sparked by their opening night triumph against Sweden was washed away by a biblical downpour in Donetsk as they were comprehensively outplayed by France.

 Oleg Blokhin's men seemed struck by the stage-fright many had predicted would afflict them during their tournament debut.

 The coach put their profligacy down to complacency but, with the quarter-finals a tangible prospect, Ukraine should not need any motivating for this last eight play-off.

 If they are to prosper, wide men Yevhen Konoplyanka and Andriy Yarmolenko must get more involved than they did against France. 

The former will have been heartened by the trouble Glen Johnson had defending his right flank in Kiev, while Yarmolenko has a slightly trickier task trying to outfox Ashley Cole, an undeniable world-class talent in a largely average England side.

 Delivery into the box will be key, with Shevchenko's headed brace against Sweden and England's slack defending against the same opponents providing a potent avenue for further exploration.

 Serhiy Nazarenko has also displayed a neat range of passing, even if it has come in fits and starts.

 But no matter which way you cook it, all Ukrainian roads lead back to Shevchenko, whose Swedish double proved that, even though the red light is flickering, he still has gas left in his tank.

 Should he be absent, hopes will rest on another player who failed to do himself justice in the Premier League - Andriy Voronin - who went missing along with his colleagues during their dereliction of duty in Donetsk.

 Ukraine have a chance to delay their departures, with a country united behind them.

 A brittle England could find themselves swept away. England player to watch: Wayne Rooney.

 The Manchester United striker was discussed more during the first two games in the English media than he would have been had he played but, after weeks of training, he finally has a chance to put his stamp on the continent's premier stage.

 His self-inflicted absence has enhanced the notion that he owes England some big performances, the quality goals England produced in Kiev only adding to the weight of expectancy.

 Without a goal in a major tournament since Euro 2004, this would a good time to end his drought.

 Ukraine player to watch: Andriy Yarmolenko. The winger excelled against Sweden in Ukraine's landmark victory, setting up the first goal for Dynamo Kiev team-mate Shevchenko, and though his team struggled against France he still represented the co-hosts' chief threat.

 If deployed in his usual slot on the right side of midfield he can test the ageing legs of Ashley Cole and try to emulate the standard of delivery he achieved in game one.

 Key battle: Scott Parker v Anatoliy Tymoschuk Surely, the two representatives that would be pushed forward if the game was to be decided on an arm-wrestle.

 Both players will have similar briefs: to patrol from deep, limit supply to the opposition strikers, and provide quick possession to the players who can do damage. With Ukraine needing to win, Tymoschuk is likely to have more on his plate than Parker if they end up having to chase the game.

 Stat: In Theo Walcott's 30 minutes of involvement at Euro 2012, the Arsenal player has scored a goal, provided another and maintained a 100% pass completion rate (eight out of eight).

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