SO, Sven-Goran Eriksson's a lucky manager, is he?

That criticism, often aimed at the England coach by his enemies, would be laughed at today if it weren't so painfully untrue.

As Eriksson approaches the defining moment of his England reign, he could scarcely have wished for a more disastrous weekend.

OK, so the vast majority of his first-choice team for this Saturday's game in Turkey might have come through their fixtures unscathed.

But the prospect of losing Michael Owen is almost enough to make the Swede jack in his job.

That might perhaps be exaggerating England's plight, but Owen is the talisman England simply cannot do without.

In the absence of David Beckham at the Riverside in June, it was Owen who dragged England to the win over Slovakia with two second-half goals.

Until Wayne Rooney got in on the scoring act last month against Macedonia and Liechtenstein, it was Owen who had almost single-handedly carried the goal threat through England's faltering Euro 2004 campaign.

And it is Owen, not Beckham or Rooney or anyone else in a white shirt, who Turkey fear most.

When he was a rare absentee, exactly two years ago today when England met Greece at Old Trafford, Beckham had to do the work of half-a-dozen to snatch a draw.

In the World Cup, Owen won the penalty against Argentina and defied injury to give his team a sniff of glory against Brazil.

And the Liverpool striker's hat-trick was the crowning glory on England's greatest night since 1966 when they demolished Germany in 2001.

Owen's ability has covered up for a paucity of attacking options.

Now, with Rooney too raw and Emile Heskey too poor, Eriksson faces the biggest selection dilemma of his England career.

Does he turn to Darius Vassell - who opened the scoring at Sunderland on that tumultuous evening six months ago?

Perhaps James Beattie, for whom the step up to the international arena seems unbridgeable, will be given another opportunity.

England fans' desperation was underlined by callers to Radio Five on Saturday who wanted Alan Shearer to be selected.

Without Owen, England are half the team they are with him.

And with the Turkey game just five days away, "lucky" Eriksson must hope the striker is fortunate enough to enjoy a rapid recovery.