Q With Wayne Rooney suspended there’s a place up for grabs are you confident you can fill it?
A "Of course, you have got to be confident. I thought I did reasonably well out in the games in America. There’s a place available and I’m hopefully I’m the one to fill it but we have some good strikers here as well."
Q Jamie Carragher thinks having Michael Owen up front there with you will help you, rather than on your own for Liverpool?
A "I think it will do, yeah. Without a doubt. When you are playing up front on your own sometimes it limits your chance to score goals a little bit. But playing up front with someone of Michael’s calibre will only help my game as well as hopefully I can help his as well."
Q Do you see this as a wonderful opportunity for you going into the World Cup?
A "Yes it is, it’s a massive opportunity. Going into games like this it’s a really good game and being a World Cup year if you can impress in these games then you’ve got a real good chance of being involved in the World Cup and that’s what we’re all here to do"
Q You’ve heard all the jokes about you in the past do you think you will be taken seriously now that you are an England striker?
A "I think people are beginning to, yeah. I think when I first started out I’m a unique player and people will think bang the ball up to me or whatever. But I think people are now starting to realise, the more games you play, what you can do. The more I play the more people take seriously. Now with recognition for England and being at a great club like Liverpool as well they can see that I can play as well."
Q What can you bring to the side?
A "I think I’m a different type of player. I look at the strikers we’ve got, Michael Owen, Wayne Rooney, Jermain Defoe and Darren Bent and they are all different to myself. They are sharper, smaller, quicker players and I think I definitely bring something different to the team. It’s definitely an option that we can use."
Q Is this a chance to prove you can play at this level?
A "I believe so, I only played one game out in the States but I really enjoyed that. I have played a couple of games in the Champions League this season and that’s a good standard of football. I have every confidence I can play at this level."
"I always had belief I could play at this level. At times it was difficult when you’re starting out but I’ve definitely grown as a player now, I feel really confident at the moment. I’m playing for a great club and I feel at my best. I always felt confident I could play at this level and hopefully I can show that now."
Q You haven’t scored a goal for five months, getting one now would be a big weight off your shoulders?
A "Yes, of course. A forward’s job is scoring goals. But I think we are playing well up front, it’s a lot of work for the team and I think I have been doing that as a team with me up there on my own. There’s no doubts in my mind that it will come so I’m not too concerned."
Q Is it time people realised you were good with the ball at your feet not just in the air?
A "I’m always asked questions like this to be honest. I think everyone can see that I can play as well. Being so tall I’ve got to be an aerial threat and I like to think I am and that’s obviously an asset of mine, but that’s not the only thing I’ve got. Hopefully I can show that I can play on the floor and use my touch and bring other people into play and I think people have seen that now."
Q Did you model yourself on anyone?
A "Obviously I watch as much football as anyone and enjoy watching people but at the moment there isn’t really a player like myself. One I used to watch was Tore Andre Flo who was quite a good player. He had good ability on the floor and I liked watching him in his Chelsea days."
Q What are the differences between preparing for matches under Benitez and Eriksson?
A "In their own way they are both thorough, you have to be to manage a club like Liverpool and a national team like England, you have to be as thorough as possible. Both of them are thorough and Mr Eriksson is similar to Rafa Benitez in his way. I think they both are thorough and look at the points and plusses of our team as well as their team. He works as much on their team as ours."
Q What do you think you have improved since you started to make it at Southampton last year?
A "I think I just needed a chance to be honest. When the new manager at Villa came in it was obvious he didn’t really fancy me so I had to move on.
I moved to Southampton obviously and I think that was the best time to be honest. With Harry Redknapp there he played me from the start and I think that was all I needed. I always felt confident in my ability, if given a chance to play I thought I would take that chance and I managed to do that.
Now I’m being given an opportunity to play for England and I feel the same way, when my chance comes I’ll take it."
Q Jamie Carragher said you hadn’t been scoring goals at Liverpool because they hadn’t been playing to your strengths, how much are you looking forward to playing alongside David Beckham with the crosses that he can put in?
A "If selected, it’s great for any striker to be playing alongside a player like that. For me personally with his crossing ability and creative play it will be great for me to get on the end of a few crosses."
Q After all the sniping you’ve had to endure what would it be like to score for England on Saturday?
A "It would mean a lot. I’ve played one game out in the States and enjoyed that. Obviously to score would be a great feeling, your family is in the crowd and it’s an important game as well. It’s hard to describe. I would be as excited as the next person to score for your country."
Q How will Michael Owen’s presence help your game, especially as you have been playing up front on your own?
A "Yes, I think it will be nice to play with someone. I keep talking about the game in America but that went really well. It’s the only time I have played with Michael Owen and I was involved in his goals and I felt it went well. Hopefully if selected it will be the same again."
Q You weren’t in the squad for the last game so how have you found the mood after the defeat in Northern Ireland?
A "We’re all disappointed with the last game but you can tell straightaway that there’s a lot of determination to put things right. We’re a good side and you can tell walking around how determined we are to get some good results in the next two games."
Q Have you always played with a partner and if so is there one that you clicked well with?
A "I have usually played with partners. Myself and Kevin Phillips last year that was a good combination and he’s similar to someone like Jermain Defoe or maybe Michael Owen. But if selected hopefully that sort of partnership would work well. Throughout my career so far I think myself and Kevin is probably the best one and we have similar strikers here."
Q Who have been the biggest influences on your career?
A "Obviously at youth team and things like that Gerry Francis gave me my debut at QPR and he was great with me. He had faith in me when I was 19 years old and from there everything went well. Graham Rix at Portsmouth when I was there and Harry Redknapp had faith in me playing me week in week out. Now I think the manager at Liverpool believes in me strongly and the manager at England believes in me as well. So hopefully I can repay that faith."
Q How strong is the determination in the camp to do something after the Northern Ireland result?
A "I think we probably owe the English public a result. We are all determined to put that last result behind us and move on and get the points that will take us to the World Cup where we belong."