England captain David Beckham expects to play in tomorrow's Euro 2004 qualifier against Macedonia after shaking off a minor groin problem.

"Obviously it's the first time I train today so we will see how it goes but it's feeling good so hopefully it will go well," Beckham told a news conference at England's team hotel on Friday.

"I think I only tweaked the muscle so hopefully it should be fine."

The England squad are due to train in the Macedonian capital later on Friday having flown in on Thursday evening.

Beckham suffered a groin strain playing for his club Real Madrid in a Spanish league match against Villarreal on Tuesday and did not join the rest of the England squad for Thursday's training session in Manchester.

England need to win Saturday's game to remain on the heels of Group Seven leaders Turkey, who play Liechtenstein on Saturday.

Eriksson is already without three first-choice players -- midfielders Paul Scholes and Steven Gerrard and defender Rio Ferdinand -- for the game in Skopje due to injury and illness.