MICHAEL Owen has been eclipsed by Wayne Rooney in Euro 2004 - but all that could change if the Liverpool star opens his championship account against Portugal tomorrow.

Former Saints and England centre-forward Peter Osgood admitted: "Owen has looked a bit subdued so far but that's because he hasn't scored. All strikers go through that. The longer you go without scoring, the more down you get with yourself and that's what Owen is going through right now.

"But you saw what effect a goal had on Paul Scholes against Croatia in Monday night. It transformed him, and if Owen can end his little famine, he'll be unstoppable, too."

Osgood rates Rooney as England's biggest footballing talent since Paul Gascoigne.

"I just hope Wayne doesn't go the same way as Gazza," said the ex-Chelsea star of the 1970s.

"Right now the signs are that he won't. He's got a strong family around him and seems to have his feet stuck firmly to the ground.

"There's no doubt we have a great talent there. He doesn't play this well with Everton but, because he's got good players around him in the England set up, it brings the best out of him and what we're seeing is something very special."

There are still those who question whether Rooney and Owen complement each other as strike partners and Osgood admits: "Owen is better playing off a bigger centre-forward.

"But there are signs that the two of them are hitting it off together."

Osgood was always a danger in the air from set pieces and his big concern for England is that they are not dealing with crosses played across their own six-yard area.

"Someone has got to take responsibity for dealing with those crosses, and it's something I hope they have worked out on the training ground in the last couple of days," he says.

"It is one of John Terry's strengths to come and attack the ball, but so far he hasn't been doing it. He and Sol Campbell have been leaving it to each and it's caused confusion.

"It's a problem which desperately needs sorting."

Osgood is worried, too, by David Beckham. "He has been very disappointing so far, but rather than talk negatively about England, I think there are far more positive signs.

"We are going forward with more confidence as each game goes by. I thought Croatia would be a tough test, but we opened them up time and again. I have a fancy we'll meet up with France again in the final, and this time there should be no mistakes."