MICHAEL OWEN last night delivered a stark warning to his England team-mates and Sven Goran Eriksson: Improve or forget about winning the World Cup.

It is the second time this month the England striker, ruled out of the tournament and the year with a knee injury, has criticised Eriksson's tactics.

This time Owen has admitted he feels sorry for Wayne Rooney playing as a lone striker in the Swede's controversial 4-1-4-1 formation.

Owen said: "If I was playing, there's not much I could do there either because we're not whizzing crosses in, we're not playing great through-balls or anything like that. "We've not quite clicked yet but there's plenty of time. Players aren't stupid. Everyone realises if we play like we have been playing then you would not think we would win the trophy."

Owen, 26, was speaking as it was confirmed he will travel to America to see Dr Richard Steadman to begin the recovery of his damaged ligaments. The freak injury happened in England's 2-2 draw against Sweden after the Newcastle striker struggled against Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago - both matches in which he was substituted shortly after half-time by Eriksson. Days later he blasted the Swede's tactics and Eriksson insisted Owen needed to work harder at his own game. And Owen hit back: "I wasn't setting the world alight but not many players are. We weren't playing well as a whole and strikers always suffer when that happens."