JAMIE REDKNAPP is virtually certain to start for England against Saudi Arabia in Saturday's World Cup warm-up at Wembley after shaking off his latest knock.

England coach Glenn Hoddle said yesterday: Jamie is looking fine at the moment and today is a deadline in terms of his availability for Saturday. We need to give him as much time as possible to put him in the frame for the game but, as things stand, he looks on course to meet that deadline and looks fine.

The cultured but injury plagued midfielder has shone for Liverpool in their otherwise mediocre season - earning himself a new five-year contract at Anfield but he is well aware that he has yet to convince Hoddle that he is worth a place in his World Cup 22. The reason? Redknapp is forever getting knocks, particularly when he puts on an England shirt.

Redknapp, 25 next month, is just recovering from a knee injury suffered a month ago that, for once, was picked up playing for Liverpool. But his international career to date has been a catalogue of pain, starting against Switzerland in November 1995 when he pulled a hamstring after less than ten minutes. The Liverpool star's next meaningful appearance saw him come on at half-time in the Euro 96 group game against Scotland. The match was a tense 0-0 when he came on but he made a big impression and helped the host nation take a 2-0 lead. But the injury bug bit again, and he had to go off six minutes from the end with a twisted ankle that ended his involvement in the tournament. He recovered to make two appearances as a sub at the end of the year but admits he wasn't 100% fit. Hoddle brought him back into the starting line-up 12 months ago for the friendly against South Africa and the Three Lions promptly bit him again - the ankle he injured against Scotland got fractured, putting him out of the picture for months.