IF any of the England supporting public were unaware, the national side's camp confirmed this week that David Beckham and Michael Owen are under a bit of pressure.

The confirmation came in the spirited defence of the duo from coach and team-mates alike.

Sven-Goran Eriksson said the skipper's place was merited for "football reasons" alone, and teen wonder Wayne Rooney revealed he simply loves playing alongside former teen wonder Owen.

Attack being the best form of defence, it comes at a time when Beckham again finds his place under scrutiny.

He plays regularly for Real Madrid but the detractors believe he should be giving more for his country.

Owen, on the other hand, has a problem getting a regular game for his club since his move to the Bernabeu last summer.

Last night it was records on the table for Owen. One to equal Shearer's tally 30-goal England tally and one to equal Gary Lineker's 22-mark in competitive fixtures.

The first chance for the former Liverpool man arrived early and they kept coming.

The best two of the early exchanges came around the quarter hour mark. The first saw Owen link with club-mate Beckham and when the cross was delivered Owen's header was well saved by the impressive Dmitry Kramarenko in the Azerbaijan goal.

The two then almost got in each other's way when Joe Cole crossed from the left and Owen's header was pushed onto Beckham by Kramarenko - the ball cannoning off the post.

While Owen waited the skipper did his best to create the opener for any number of his colleagues.

Unfortunately Beckham's final ball left something to be desired. After a bright opening he faded after the half hour, after which his only meaningful contribution of the remainder of the opening 45 minutes was a bizarre booking for returning to the field of play without permission.

Owen, however, kept his worse miss of the first half until the last minute when he somehow headed over unmarked from six yards from Ashley Cole's cross. He did have the ball in the net in first-half injury time but Beckham was offside when he set the striker up.

Owen joined Beckham in the book early after the break when he tried to handle Rooney's cross from the right - the caution will cost him his place against Wales in September - before the skipper grabbed England's second of the night in the 62nd minute to celebrate his 80th cap with his 16th goal for his country.

A minute before the skipper had been screaming for a penalty, but he was on hand to convert a long ball from Frank Lampard after the Azerbaijan defence failed to pick him up in a central position.

One touch to control, the second a right foot shot from the edge of the area past the keeper.

The skipper was starting to enjoy himself, but the same couldn't be said of his record-chasing team-mate.

Owen's profligacy in front of goal continued and the only plus point was that he didn't suffer the ignomy of being substituted by Eriksson.

After Beckham sent a free-kick just wide of the target, the skipper departed to a standing ovation from the St James' Park crowd with less than ten minutes left.

The bragging rights back at the Bernabeu will be Beckham's alone.