MICHAEL Owen and Paul Scholes are on course to be fit for England's World Cup quarter-final clash with Brazil in Shizuoka on Friday.

The duo did not take part in England's training session at their Awaji Island headquarters but both will join in with full training on Thursday.

Owen - nicknamed the "killer" by Sven-Goran Eriksson because of his deadly finishing - suffered a groin injury after two minutes of Saturday's 3-0 win over Denmark in the second phase in Niigata and was eventually substituted at half-time.

Football Association director of communications Paul Newman told BBC Radio Five Live: "They have been intensively treated with massage and hydrotherapy and both will train tomorrow at the stadium venue, which has to be positive news.

"Owen Hargreaves did a full session, which is very positive. Unless there is any reaction he is fit for selection.

"The one doubt is Darius Vassell with a sore back. He is having treatment and will be reassessed in the morning."

Eriksson's right-hand man Tord Grip admitted: "We need Michael to be 100% but then I think everyone needs to be 100% fit to play Brazil. Of course, he is important for us with his pace and goalscoring skills."

Owen had insisted after the game against Denmark that he would be ready to play against Brazil and was confident that his goal - his first in five internationals - would "open the floodgates".