Capello will blend youth with experience against Sweden

After relying on ultra-defensive tactics to grind out victory over world champion Spain at the weekend, England is expected to place a heavier emphasis on attack at Wembley on Tuesday when it attempts to claim a first win over Sweden in 43 years.

With Wayne Rooney suspended for all of England's group matches at the 2012 European Championship, coach Fabio Capello has dropped the Manchester United striker from his squad and is using the pre-tournament friendlies to assess his options up front.

Darren Bent was preferred in Saturday's surprise 1-0 win over Spain while Bobby Zamora and Chelsea's uncapped youngster Daniel Sturridge are set to be given the nod against fellow Euro 2012 qualifier Sweden, which lost 2-0 to Denmark on Friday but is unbeaten against England in 12 matches since 1968.

With John Terry returning as captain to start at center back alongside Gary Cahill and right back Kyle Walker expected to be given a starting spot for the first time, Capello will again blend youth with experience as he tries to maintain the feel-good factor.

"This is the really important step for us to go forward and improve," said the Italian coach, whose side is coming off a first victory over a current world champion since 1980 and hasn't lost in 12 months. "(But) it will be a really difficult game.

"It is difficult when the other team thinks you are the best. This is the change. Now Sweden think we are good. They will want to play better here."

Terry will return to the team despite being at the center of separate police and Football Association investigations following allegations he racially abused an opponent during a Premier League match last month.

The Chelsea defender will have other things on his mind, not least stifling the threat of Zlatan Ibrahimovic — Sweden's captain and biggest attacking danger.

"Ibrahimovic is a really good player who can decide a top-level game in a single moment," Capello said of the AC Milan striker. "I bought him as Juventus manager and for this reason I know how important he is for Sweden and what a real danger he is for every opponent."

Even though Ibrahimovic often fails to reproduce his club form for his country, Erik Hamren's side was prolific going forward in qualifying, scoring 31 goals in 10 matches — the third-highest total among all the teams.

And Sweden, which qualified for its fourth straight European Championship by beating the previously unbeaten Netherlands in its final group match, tends to save its best for England.

Since 1968, the Scandinavian nation has drawn eight times with the English, most recently at the 2006 World Cup where Henrik Larsson scored a late equalizer in a 2-2 draw, and won the other four.

Both Ibrahimovic and Hamren complained that Sweden weren't "aggressive enough" in the defeat to Denmark last week, but that shouldn't be the case against England.