Thank heavens for Wayne Rooney.

Having played well against France and still lost, England played unconvincingly against Switzerland and yet won, albeit with a late flourish against a side reduced to ten men.

That they prevailed, however, was due not only to the dismissal of Bernt Haas with 31 minutes left, vital as that was in undermining a Swiss side who had earlier troubled them in defence.

It was primarily down to Rooney, who became the youngest scorer at a European Championship finals at the tender age of just 18 years and 237 days.

Comparisons are never entirely helpful, but in physique, hot-blooded temperament, innate skill and impudent swagger, albeit more of self-belief than arrogance, he is beginning to resemble a certain Paul Gascoigne.

Indeed, his influence for England is already starting to be just as great.

With David Beckham and Michael Owen, the two men upon whom England normally rely so heavily, yet to show their best form - or anything like it - it has been to Rooney, as well as Frank Lampard, that Eriksson has looked for inspiration.

Against France, they both delivered, albeit in defeat, and so too against Switzerland in victory.

While Lampard was again at the heart of the midfield, Rooney struck his sixth England goal in 15 caps with a 23rd-minute header that eclipsed the previous youngest goalscorer, Dragan Stojkovic in 1984, by almost eight months.

He was not finished there. With 15 minutes left and England still a little vulnerable to a side reduced to ten men, Rooney's shot hit the post and was deflected back into his net by keeper Jorg Stiel.

It was an own goal but no matter.

With Steven Gerrard striking England's third as they punished a tiring Swiss side, an air of self-belief had finally returned to Eriksson's squad.

Then again, after that last-gasp defeat by France, the result was all that really counted in helping to reignite England's qualifying hopes ahead of their final group game against Croatia on Monday night.

Eriksson must decide on his tactics for that key game as, having hinted at a diamond-shaped midfield, that idea was knocked on the head before yesterday afternoon's kick-off.

The flat-packed midfield was still on show but the pressure from Switzerland was there for all to see, with Hakan Yakin's set-piece deliveries especially troubling the England defence.

Rooney, meanwhile, was booked for leaving his foot up as he challenged Stiel in racing onto Lampard's through-ball.

Steve McClaren was immediately briefed by Eriksson to urge the teenager to calm down, with captain Beckham reinforcing the message moments later.

Rooney was in no apparent mood to listen, but for the time being at least, his no-holds approach paid dividends.

When referee Valentin Ivanov expertly waved play on after a foul on Gerrard, England took advantage as Owen crossed for Rooney to fling himself at the ball to head home.

His acrobatic somersault was nevertheless followed by him kicking the corner flag and a microphone outpost, prompting Gary Neville to offer a few more calming words of experience.

While that was against the run of play, much as England had scored against France, they did at least start to carve out further openings, with Scholes shooting wide.

The Swiss were, however, by no means subdued and David James was called upon to dive at the feet of Stephane Chapuisat and deny Alexander Frei's shot, while Yakin's free-kick flashed past the post.

Yakin, especially, was being given far too much space and, in truth, England only survived with a clean sheet due to Switzerland's lack of a top-class goalscorer.

With the ageing Chapuisat taken off, Daniel Gygax was brought on, but Eriksson's cause was helped enormously by Haas's dismissal on 59 minutes.

Initially, it looked as though it was Rooney walking a disciplinary tightrope as hearts leapt into mouths every time the striker lunged towards an opponent.

However, former Sunderland defender Haas not only fouled Gerrard but, just 11 minutes later, brought down Ashley Cole and, without any semblance of doubt, was duly sent off.

That left the Swiss to cope for the final half-hour with just ten men, but still England failed to impose themselves.

Rooney just failed to capitalise on Beckham's long throughball, while Owen tamely shot straight at Stiel.

Eriksson needed fresh legs and Scholes, who had passed a fitness test yesterday on an ankle injury, was replaced by Owen Hargreaves with 21 minutes left.

While Gerrard switched to the left, with Hargreaves in central midfield, the sight of Owen again being taken off before Rooney was rather more telling.

Darius Vassell is nevertheless an excellent international substitute and his control and lay-off almost immediately set up Rooney to take aim from 20 yards out.

The Everton striker's powerful shot struck the post but rebounded onto the head of prone keeper Stiel and bounced back into the net.

Good luck had finally returned to England after the bad fortune against France and when Gerrard drove home their third goal on 82 minutes from Neville's teasing cross, their recovery was complete.

While Vassell was denied late on, Rooney was taken off to a rapturous reception and rightly so.

Even at just 18, his impact, as well as his importance to his country, could not be underestimated.