England coach Kevin Keegan has defended his decision to axe Michael Owen in favour of Andy Cole as he reverts to a one-striker formation for the first time against World and European champions France in Paris tonight.

Keegan heaped lavish praise on Owen earlier in the week after seeing the Liverpool striker score twice and impress on his own up front against Southampton.

But the start of life after Alan Shearer for England will see Owen having to be content with a place on the substitutes bench with Keegan claiming the 20-year-old still has much to learn.

Owen at best was only a qualified success in Euro 2000 and the longest he lasted in any of the three group matches was 67 minutes against Romania.

Now it is Cole who will attempt to justify Keegan's change of policy from a two-pronged attack against the World Cup holders and Euro 2000 winners.

It is a throwback to Gary Lineker's role when he was supported by Peter Beardsley or more recently Shearer's partnership with Teddy Sheringham.

Cole has come from the back of the cluster of strikers that were at Keegan's disposal to stake his claim with Shearer, Owen, Emile Heskey and Robbie Fowler all appearing to be ahead of him in the pecking order at one stage.

He missed out on Euro 2000 because of injury and at 29 there was no guarantee that he would get another opportunity to add to his meagre tally of two starts for his country.

But Keegan has been impressed with his significant improvement as an all-round player since he sold him to Manchester United when manager of Newcastle five years ago.

Cole should certainly feel at home as he will have United team-mates Paul Scholes - in the hole between midfield and attack - and David Beckham in a central midfield position to provide the ammunition.

Keegan said: ''Michael Owen's form is very good, but I just want to try playing with one up-front and one off the main striker and I just think this is the best way to do it.

''Michael played as the lone striker against Southampton last Saturday and did very well. But Andy Cole has got an equally good claim as Michael and it was just a straight choice.

''I've talked to Michael about it and he is fine. He is a very mature lad who is obviously disappointed and sometimes when you are younger the disappointment is greater.

''I would say that Michael is still learning and if he thinks he isn't then that would be a mistake.

''He is 20 with an awful lot going for him and the future is very bright for players like him because of the talent they have got, but on this occasion I decided to go the way I have with Andy.''

Keegan has sufficient faith in Cole's improvement as an all-round player to predict he will grab his chance with both hands.

An impressive display would put him in the driving seat to start in next month's vital World Cup double header with Germany and Finland.

Keegan said: ''Andy Cole has become very adaptable. Under Newcastle he played the way I want him to play on Saturday in his partnership with Peter Beardsley. It was a pair that was very difficult to play against.

''Andy was a wonderful player for me at Newcastle, but he is much improved now. He is five years older, has five more years experience under his belt. The only thing he's doing the same as then is scoring goals.

''The way he plays now, the way he picks other people out, is on a level he couldn't have at Newcastle because of his lack of experience, but he has learned really well.''

Keegan admitted: ''It is difficult to give players a run in the England side especially forwards if they are not scoring goals and are not playing really well.

''Andy suffered from that and Alan Shearer was the number one choice for a long time. But sometimes you get an opportunity to try things out and now a chance has come along and he is more than capable of taking it.

''I don't think it is as much of an experiment as in some cases because he has proven in the Champions League that he can score goals and play well.

''He is just different to what we had before. He requires different service to Alan Shearer and is looking for different things. We've got to respect that and try and provide him with the bullets he needs to fire.''

Keegan also believes that the role between attack and midfield is ideally suited to Scholes, who will be looking to add to his impressive record of ten goals in 27 internationals.

He said: ''It really is a fantastic position for him to get the best out of Paul Scholes because he is always wanting to get forward at every available opportunity.

''That's his game and he's done that remarkably well and his goals tally tells you he's done it most successfully.

Keegan believes the role will keep the United midfielder fresh for most of the game and will not take as much out of him as his usual midfield berth.

''This role will also not ask too much of him. To ask him to keep going forward and to make runs and then to get back when playing in a four man midfield can take its toll later in a game,'' he added.