STEVEN GERRARD last night backed close chums Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen to fire England to the European Championships.

Gerrard has taken wonder-boy Rooney under his wing on the international scene, in a bid to help the Everton star feel at home with the national squad.

Both Rooney and Owen look certain to start at Middlesbrough's Riverside Stadium on Wednesday night, as England face Slovakia in a vital Euro 2004 qualifier.

And Gerrard is convinced the pair can form a mouth-watering partnership after witnessing them in action in training at Boro's Rockliffe Park HQ.

"Wayne is looking terrific in training and at times Michael and him played together and they did look good together," said the Liverpool midfielder.

"When you see someone with Wayne's ability it keeps everyone alert and we have seen what he is capable of against Turkey. He has given everyone a big lift.

"They are both young and haven't played together much, so I think if they are given time and are played together in friendlies then they will work into a top class partnership."

Gerrard, who will earn his 18th cap on Wednesday, has become close friends with Rooney in recent months.

Both are from Liverpool and the elder of the two has worked hard to ensure England's boy wonder has fitted in with Sven-Goran Eriksson's men.

And Gerrard revealed a game of table tennis is as good as anything to make Rooney, 17, adapt to life at senior international level.

"I just talk to Wayne, spend time with him and give him a knock to get him out of his hotel room," said Gerrard.

"At these get-togethers, when you spend five to ten days in the hotel room, it's a bit like a five-star jail.

"So you need to get yourself out and play a bit of table tennis and pool, which helps to get everyone along.

"That's what you need before big games because you need to get out and get the team spirit going.

"We both come from the same background and we live near each other, but he's a good kid and we have to make sure he feels good to get the best out of him.

"When Wayne first came on the scene he was a bit quiet but now he socialises with the other lads, who all respect him.

"He is only 17 but he is mature for his age and is not like a kid.

"When you come into an England squad at just 17, 18 you don't know anyone and you need to know someone who can sort you out. Michael (Owen) helped me and I'm trying to do the same to Wayne."

Rooney, who is expected to start ahead of Emile Heskey, has suddenly grabbed the headlines following his rapid rise to stardom.

But Gerrard insists people should not forget about Owen, whom he believes at the age of 23 will go down in history as this country's highest ever goalscorer and overtake Bobby Charlton's total of 49.

"Michael's all-round game has improved. He is now coming shorter and coming long," said Gerrard, who knows Owen has scored 20 in his 49 caps.

"It is unbelievable that he will be making his 50th cap, but he is going to break all kinds of records for goals and caps and that goes to show how world-class he is.

"I think he is also going to become a great captain for England."

Meanwhile, Eriksson has taken the blame for the captaincy farce surrounding England's win over Serbia & Montenegro last week.

After Owen, standing in for David Beckham, had been substituted Jamie Carragher, Phil Neville and Heskey all wore the skipper's armband at some stage in the second half.

And Eriksson said: "What happened on Tuesday was probably my fault. The best thing would have been to give the captaincy to David James when Michael Owen went out of the game at half-time.

''That would have been the best thing to happen because we had decided beforehand that David would play the entire 90 minutes whereas with the other players we were not so sure."