select a team ---------- Europe: Belgium Croatia Denmark England France Germany Ireland Italy Poland Portugal Russia Slovenia Spain Sweden Turkey ---------- South America: Argentina Brazil Ecuador Paraguay Uruguay ---------- Africa: Cameroon Nigeria Senegal South Africa Tunisia ---------- Asia: China Japan Saudi Arabia South Korea ---------- CONCACAF: Costa Rica Mexico United States     Main page    Schedule    Stadiums

Eriksson sets injury deadline

Eriksson: More headaches as he prepares for the finals

LONDON, England (CNN) -- England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson has given midfielder Kieron Dyer until the end of the week to prove his fitness.

On Sunday it was revealed Dyer was almost certain to miss the World Cup after suffering a knee ligament injury when he was fouled by Moroccan Tahar El Khalej during Newcastle's game at Southampton the day before.

But on Monday Dyer's agent Jonathan Barnett said the 23-year-old had not abandoned hope.

He told satellite broadcaster Sky: "Kieron is trying his utmost to get fit for the World Cup. He said it's a little bit better than yesterday, he's going to have some intensive training and put his whole heart and soul into it, and if anybody can do it, he can.

"Sven has given Kieron until the end of this week, and I'm sure Kieron will do his utmost to go to the World Cup. Kieron is very upset with life at the moment but he is a very determined young man and we need a great deal of work with him to get him right.

MORE STORIES • Beckham and booze: England expects     QUICKVOTE Who will win Group F, the "group of death"? Argentina England Sweden Nigeria View Results

"He was crying yesterday, he was devastated, it's everyone's ambition to go to the World Cup."

On Sunday, Eriksson told a news conference: "I feel very sorry for Dyer -- he has been extremely unlucky. What happened was not a muscle problem but a bad tackle and that happens in football.

"He is absolutely destroyed. It's a knee ligament problem and even if everything goes 100% it can take at least four weeks to recover."

Doubts persist over Steven Gerrard, who is due to see a specialist to find out whether he needs surgery on his injured groin.

The Liverpool midfielder did not join the rest of the squad as they flew to Dubai on Monday for a training camp.

The injuries are the latest setback for Eriksson. Manchester United defender Gary Neville was ruled out by injury before he announced the squad last week.

But Neville's club colleagues David Beckham and Nicky Butt are responding well to treatment from their injuries and Eriksson hopes they will play a full part in the campaign.

Beckham has been running again after breaking a bone in his foot last week and hopes to be ready for the first group game against Sweden on June 2. Argentina and Nigeria are the other teams in Group F.

Goalkeepers David Seaman (Arsenal), Nigel Martyn (Leeds), David James (West Ham).

Defenders Danny Mills (Liverpool), Sol Campbell (Arsenal), Rio Ferdinand (Leeds), Gareth Southgate (Middlesbrough), Martin Keown (Arsenal), Ashley Cole (Arsenal), Wayne Bridge (Southampton), Wes Brown (Manchester United).

Midfielders David Beckham (Manchester United), Paul Scholes (Manchester United), Nicky Butt (Manchester United), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Owen Hargreaves (Bayern Munich), Joe Cole (West Ham), Danny Murphy (Liverpool).

Forwards Michael Owen (Liverpool), Emile Heskey (Liverpool), Robbie Fowler (Leeds), Darius Vassell (Aston Villa), Teddy Sheringham (Tottenham).

On standby Trevor Sinclair (West Ham).