McClaren to swallow pride and mend it with Beckham

David Beckham is on the verge of a remarkable return to the England team tomorrow when Steve McClaren names his squad for the friendly against Brazil and the Euro 2008 qualifier against Estonia. Sources close to the England manager say that he is ready to go back on the decision to cast the former captain out of international football in August.

It represents a huge decision for McClaren as he faces a critical period of his embattled regime. Failure to beat Estonia on 6 June would almost certainly see him sacked as England manager with the team currently fourth in qualifying Group E. McClaren is understood to have discussed with his coaching staff the prospect of recalling Beckham and the England manager has also satisfied himself that the move would not face major opposition from his senior players.

Tonight McClaren will be in charge of Michael Owen's return to international football with the England B game at Burnley's Turf Moor against Albania and he has delayed naming the full squad for the two senior games until tomorrow ­ having first intended to make the announcement this evening. Beckham plays for Real Madrid against Deportivo La Coruña in a crucial match in the Spanish title race tomorrow evening in what could turn out to be an extraordinary day for the 32-year-old.

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McClaren has always been careful not to close the door on a return for Beckham although privately he never seriously considered recalling him until now. However, the intense pressure on his position after the abuse aimed at him by fans during the victory over Andorra in Barcelona on 28 March has evidently had an effect on his thinking. And with Gary Neville, Wayne Rooney and Ashley Cole among the players missing this month he is lacking in experienced internationals.

In Manchester yesterday ahead of tonight's game, McClaren stopped short of ruling out the possibility that Beckham would return to the squad and admitted he lacked "experience" in the side. He avoided the issue of his return and refused to confirm directly whether Beckham would be selected or not.

"There has been a lot of speculation about David Beckham and quite a few other people," he said. "I am naming the squad on Saturday and everyone will find out then."

Beckham's return is likely to prove as dramatic as his departure. He stepped off the stage on 2 July after calling a press conference to announce tearfully he was giving up the captaincy of the England team. The real shock came when, in August, McClaren left Beckham out of the England squad to face Greece in the first game of his new regime. "I told David I was looking to change things, looking to go in a different direction, and he wasn't included within that," McClaren said that day. It now appears that the direction has changed again and Beckham's return could be on the grandest stage of all: the first England international at the new Wembley against Brazil.

There is no guarantee he would start the game, especially with McClaren's assistant, Terry Venables, such a staunch admirer of Tottenham's right winger Aaron Lennon, but he should play some role. Should he play against Estonia and Brazil, Beckham will be just four caps short of his century.

Nothing if not patriotic ­ and desperate to win 100 caps ­ there would be little doubt that Beckham would not want his move to the Los Angeles Galaxy this summer to prevent him from continuing as an international. Should he resolve to recall him with such fanfare it would be difficult for McClaren to then drop him again. For the last two England games, injury ruled Beckham out of contention.

It is understood that Beckham would make a low-profile return to the England side and would not do any interviews after tomorrow's Real game. As a regular squad player, rather than the captain, he would not be required to speak before the match.

Beckham's return would overshadow the comeback from injury of Owen, who was at least centre stage yesterday and will start in the B team tonight alongside Alan Smith in attack. The 27-year-old said yesterday that he had no fears that his cruciate knee injury had not healed properly.

"It has been textbook right the way through," Owen said. "It [the fear] only enters your mind if you have had an injury and you still feel something because it is sending a message from your body to your head saying you are still hurting. But right from the first minute, as soon as the swelling went down after my operation, I have sailed through rehab."

McClaren continued with his custom of naming his friendly sides ahead of the match. The team to face Albania includes two players uncapped at senior level ­ Nicky Shorey, the Reading left-back and the Blackburn midfielder David Bentley.

England B side to face Albania: Carson (Liverpool); P Neville (Everton), Dawson (Tottenham), King (Tottenham), Shorey (Reading); Bentley (Blackburn), Jenas (Tottenham), Barry (Aston Villa), Lennon (Tottenham); Smith (Manchester United), Owen (Newcastle United).