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from the net-

Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney have played precisely three minutes together for England since the start of 2006 but the pair look sure to be reunited against Estonia in Saturday's Euro 2008 qualifiers.

Owen's swift return from injury is a massive boost for the Three Lions because he was the guiding force behind their vital 3-0 wins over Israel and Russia last month.

Plenty of other players - not least strike partner Emile Heskey - also played key roles but Owen added the spark up front which made both games surprisingly comfortable for Steve McClaren's side.

Clearly there's a different dynamic to Owen/Rooney compared to Owen/Heskey but the last time they played a full match together for the national side they were responsible for all three goals in a friendly win over a top-notch Argentina outfit.

And it's an altogether easier assignment on Saturday against Estonia before what's going to be a crunch clash with Russia on Wednesday.

England have now won each of their last four qualifiers by a 3-0 margin which includes the reverse fixture away to Estonia when Owen, Joe Cole and Peter Crouch were all on target.

David Beckham set up two of those goals and though he's absent this time around, McClaren has plenty of options to mull over.

The big question is whether Frank Lampard comes back into the side but given how well Gareth Barry and Steven Gerrard gelled in the last two games, the Chelsea man will surely have to settle for a place on the bench.

The other big talking point concerns goalkeeper Paul Robinson but for all his recent problems, it's worth reminding ourselves that he's had five successive clean sheets in Euro 2008 qualifiers for England.

And it's the solidity of the Three Lions' defence which makes it nigh on impossible to envisage anything other than another comfortable win on Saturday.

For they've conceded just two goals - and both those came in the same match away to Croatia - in this qualifying campaign.

That's all in stark contrast to Estonia who have lost eight of their ten games, failing to score in any of those defeats.

They have at least improved slightly recently with a narrow victory over Andorra and then a 1-1 draw last time out with Macedonia.

We still can't see past a home win though - and with another clean sheet - but the bookies can't either.

England are as short as 1/20 in places for the three points and no better than 2/7 to win to nil so we'll have to look elsewhere for some value.

And the market which catches the eye is William Hill's special on which of the 'home' countries - Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland are the others - will notch the quickest goal on Saturday.

England are the 8/13 favourites, with Scotland 4/1, Wales 9/2 and the Republic at 13/2 and it's John Toshack's Welsh outfit who we reckon might just be overpriced.

We haven't been their biggest fans over the last few months but there's no doubting they've improved markedly recently.

And they travel to Cyprus in Group D on the back of an amazing 5-2 victory away to Slovakia last month.

Despite that win they are the only one of the four teams in action on Saturday who can play with the freedom of knowing there's nothing at stake in terms of qualifying for the finals.

Crucially though they do have momentum, a point underlined this week by Toshack who knows that taking third place in the group could have a huge impact on seedings in draws for future European Championships and World Cups.

And goals have also been a feature of games involving both Wales (26 in eight) and Cyprus (29 in eight).

The Cypriots have also managed just two clean sheets in this campaign and both of those came againsta San Marino side which have been shutout in eight of their nine matches.

A further boost in expecting the trend to continue comes with the news that Wales captain Craig Bellamy could yet be involved this weekend.

He's played just 18 minutes of Premier League football since his stunning two-goal display against Slovakia but has been training this week after an operation by the German surgeon who did the same procedure on Michael Owen.

Owen was playing and scoring for Newcastle last weekend and Bellamy said on Thursday: "I would expect to be playing on Saturday, I feel fine and I would play now if I was asked."

Even if that proves a touch optimistic, there are plenty of alternatives - including Freddy Eastwood who might be out of favour at Wolves but has scored two goals in his first three games for Wales.

As well as the Wales to score the fastest goal of the 'home' nations quartet, they also merit at interest at 9/5 to win the game in Cyprus.

Despite their problems earlier in the campaign, Wales still ran out 3-1 winners at home to Cyprus and they look a far better side now.

Staying in Group D and the Republic of Ireland are moving in the opposite direction to Wales.

They still have a mathematical chance of qualifying but in reality it looks an impossibility following recent results.

They were edged out 1-0 by the Czech Republic last time out, hot on the heels of conceding a heartbreaking last-gasp equaliser against Slovakia.

They now face a massive task against Germany, a side who have scored 31 and conceded just four goals in the qualifying campaign to date.

For their part the Republic have netted just four times in their last four qualifiers so they fully merit their position as outsiders on Hills' market and should probably be bigger than 13/2.

The one side we haven't mentioned yet are Scotland who welcome Ukraine to a packed Hampden Park as they bid to continue their incredible run.

They sealed the double over France last time with a 1-0 success at the Parc des Princes, a result which means they top a devilishly-difficult Group B.

However they aren't going to find things straightforward against Ukraine.

They last played them on the back of a 1-0 win over France yet were brought back down to earth with a jolt as they were beaten 2-0.

Of course home advantage should make a big difference now but the pressure is well and truly on too and, despite their heroics, the Scots haven't got off to many flying starts in this campaign.

Indeed since their opening game with the Faroe Islands, they've only once netted in the opening half hour.

All of which gives plenty of scope to those getting with Wales at 9/2 to score the fastest goal.

England merit their position at the head of that market but 8/13 could be overplaying it given that Owen and Rooney have hardly played together in the last two years while Estonia have become harder to score against recently.

The one other bet we like the look of concerns Scotland's match with Ukraine - Kenny Miller to find the net anytime at 5/2.

Anyone who saw the reverse fixture in Kiev will be fully aware that Miller went agonisingly close to getting on the scoresheet on more than one occasion.

He was a threat throughout but somehow guided a free header wide from the edge of the six-yard box and also grazed the crossbar with a cross.

A hamstring problem ruled him out of Scotland's last double-header against Lithuania and France, during which time he sealed a move from Celtic to Derby.

And he's made a fine start at the relegation-threatened Rams, scoring their only two goals since his arrival (against Newcastle and Bolton) to earn them four valuablepoints.

His international record of nine goals in 32 appearances doesn't immediately suggest 5/2 is a great price but it becomes far more attractive when we point out this wager would have collected in seven of his last 12 matches for the national side.

http://www.bettingzone.co.uk/footbal...al_105745.html