England v Denmark (Match Preview)

All English eyes will be on Jack Wilshere at Parken stadium in Copenhagen on Wednesday night as the teenage midfielder aims to demonstrate that there is reason to hope for the future.

The rising Arsenal star is set to make his full debut in a slightly unfamiliar holding role for Fabio Capello against Denmark and ahead of kick-off he has been labelled as the latest next big thing for the Three Lions.

In the wake of the 2010 World Cup finals, England's supposed 'Golden Generation' of the likes of Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, John Terry and Ashley Cole were strongly criticised.

The humiliation at the hands of Germany in the last 16 in South Africa has been used as an example of the failings of England, who are ranked by Fifa as the sixth best team in the world, and an indictment of their game from grassroots level and beyond.

Wilshere, 19, has therefore emerged with a weight of expectancy having crafted his passing and skill under the watchful eye of Frenchman Arsene Wenger to become a first-team regular for Arsenal this season.

There have been warnings that there should not be too much pressure placed on the former Bolton loanee after just 46 senior career appearances for Arsenal, but that will not stop his performance from becoming the main point of assessment.

England are also using the match as preparation for March's Euro 2012 qualifier against Wales, with Parken's retractable roof replicating conditions at the Millennium Stadium.

Wilshere will line up alongside Lampard in central midfield as the Chelsea veteran captains his country, surprisingly for the first time, to mark his 84th cap due to the injury-enforced absences of Rio Ferdinand and Gerrard.

Theo Walcott, Wilshere's Arsenal team-mate, is expected to start on the right of midfield, while versatile Manchester City man James Milner is likely to begin the match on the left.

City goalkeeper Joe Hart should be in Capello's first XI, with protection being offered by a defence of Glen Johnson, Terry, Joleon Lescott and Cole, who will make his 87th international appearance and become the most capped full-back in England's history.

Capello has been impressed by Darren Bent since his £18million January transfer from Sunderland to Aston Villa and the England manager thinks the striker has added improved work-rate to his performances.

Bent is expected to start in partnership with Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney, who is still attempting to shake off the criticism of his huge underachievement at the World Cup.

Denmark, ranked 28th in the world by Fifa, will feature a host of familiar names from the current Premier League and years gone by as they aim to repeat their famous 4-1 win over England in August 2005, or indeed a 3-2 victory at Old Trafford in November 2003.

Stoke goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen, Liverpool duo Daniel Agger and Christian Poulsen, Olympiakos' former Charlton winger, Dennis Rommedahl, and Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner are all set to start.

Denmark head coach Morten Olsen is also ready to select Ajax's Christian Eriksen and the 18-year-old attack-minded midfielder will be one to watch in a duel with Wilshere after being linked with Arsenal and Liverpool.

Olsen has been in charge of Denmark since 2000 and even managed to survive a 2010 World Cup campaign when his squad failed to progress from Group E after picking up just one win to finish behind The Netherlands and Japan.

Possible starting XIs:

Denmark: Sorensen, Jacobsen, Agger, Kjaer, S.Poulsen, Rommedahl, C.Poulsen, Kvist, Eriksen, Pedersen, Bendtner.

England: Hart, Johnson, Terry, Lescott, A.Cole, Walcott, Lampard, Wilshere, Milner, Bent, Rooney.

England are 6/5 on SKYBET and Denmark are 2/1, Wayne Rooney is priced at 5/1 to open the scoring

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