Freshly packaged as England's potential Euro 2000 saviour, Steve McManaman will be given the freedom of Wembley tonight. Just what he does with such a privilege may be pivotal to Kevin Keegan's European Championship blueprint.

Can the Real Madrid midfielder follow his Champions League triumph by securing a place for himself in England's starting line-up against Portugal in Eindhoven on Monday week? That, after all, is what tonight's warm-up game against Ukraine is all about.

Keegan's decision to construct tonight's team around McManaman is not simply an endorsement of his talents but recognition that his kind of creative play will be essential if England are to have any realistic hope of progress in Holland and Belgium in the next month.

To do so, England will need at least one win from their three opening games against Portugal, Germany and Romania. If the 1-1 draw with Brazil demonstrated anything it was that England lacked any creative impetus in the second half to win the match.

'There were some good things in our display against Brazil but I want to take the game to Ukraine tonight,' said Keegan.

A performance of conviction and purpose would provide some practical evidence that Keegan's men are capable of establishing a winning position and holding on to it for 90 minutes.

In the two years since the 1998 World Cup they have only twice won competitive matches of any consequence: 3-1 against Poland at Wembley in Keegan's first game and the 2-0 play-off win over Scotland at Hampden Park in November.

The record books do little to support anything other than a modest expectation level in Euro 2000 but Keegan is hoping that McManaman, in his present mood, can enhance England's prospects.

The pale, lean former Liverpool midfielder played in that European tie against Poland, although it was Paul Scholes who snatched the headlines with a hat-trick.

Scholes, of course, popped up again with two goals at Hampden Park and must surely be considered a first choice in England's midfield.

It is for McManaman, then, to fit into the scheme of things, though on the occasion of tonight's match Keegan insisted: 'We'll fit the rest of the team around Steve. I shall tell him to do what he's been doing for Real Madrid for the past eight weeks.

'I feel that he still has something to prove to himself at this level. But he has a better chance of producing the goods when his confidence is as high as it is at the moment.

'I'm giving him a free role and he's got the ability to do it. But he'll do his share of defending, too.'

McManaman has suddenly flourished in a deep midfield role for Real and was an influential figure in the Champions League Final win over Valencia.

'I've played all over the place for Real this season but I've had more attention as a deep midfielder in the past few games because they were against high profile opposition,' he explained.

The high point of his international career came under Terry Venables in 1996 when he played in all five of England's games in the finals of the European Championship.

In the opening game, a 1-1 draw with Switzerland, he played on the left of midfield and has since been considered one of the best options on that side of the field because of the shortage of left footed players.

'But I played on the right against Scotland and Spain and Terry pushed me up with Alan Shearer and Teddy Sheringham when we played Holland,' he said.

'People think all I do now is play a free role and that certainly isn't the case. Maybe I'm the one who pushes further forward looking for gaps but I still have a job to do and players to pick up. To be honest, I'm happy to play any role where I can have some input, so long as England win.

'I don't want this cavalier attitude where we run everywhere if we concede goals at the back. I wouldn't be a happy person if I played fantastically and England lost.'

Tonight, McManaman gets the chance to convince Keegan that he can help shape England's destiny in the European Championship. The fact that he has had some experience of Ukrainian football, playing against Dynamo Kiev, may help him to determine the course of the game.

He was in the Real side that drew 2-2 with Kiev - they provide many of the Ukraine national squad - in the Bernabeu Stadium in the Champions League in March.

Tottenham's new striker Sergei Rebrov played in that game and is expected to face McManaman again tonight.

'Yes, he's a good player,' said McManaman. 'We'd be foolish to underestimate the Ukraine. They were in a very tough qualifying group and only just failed to get through.'

Unbeaten in qualifying Group Four, Ukraine fought two goalless draws with the French but finished runners-up, one point behind the world champions, and then lost their play-off against Slovenia.

'They were very unlucky,' said Keegan. 'They have some outstanding players like Rebrov and Shevchenko. They create well and they're very disciplined.'

The quality of their midfield play will test Steve Gerrard, the 20-year-old from Liverpool who makes his debut in the heart of the England team.

'He's an exceptional talent and I want to give him a chance to play where everyone tells me he's at his best,' explained Keegan.

A sound performance should secure him a place in the 22-man squad Keegan announces after tonight's match.

The withdrawal through injury of Liverpool's Jamie Redknapp and Arsenal's Ray Parlour means that Keegan now has only four to trim from the party that gathered at Bisham Abbey last week.

One of those is certain to be Aston Villa goalkeeper David James. Manchester United striker Andy Cole will probably be another.

Liverpool's Robbie Fowler could get the chance to demonstrate his fitness tonight but Keegan will rest both Michael Owen and Dennis Wise.