Azerbaijan v England: David Beckham's influence on a football match is more far-reaching than even Sven-Goran Eriksson would wish. Despite his suspension the England captain's name is looming over tonight's World Cup qualifier in Azerbaijan. Unable to set a problem for the opposition, he is posing one for his own manager.

Eriksson will delay until tomorrow his response to Beckham's statement he sought a booking in Saturday's win over Wales when he knew that a rib injury would rule him out in any case. The midfielder is thereby restoring his disciplinary record to pristine condition.

Beckham chose to declare his sneakiness. Knowing the public think him dim, he wanted to demonstrate he does have "the brains to be that clever". People have changed their minds all right. They have decided now he is more foolish than imagined.

Did Beckham's PR man not advise him that such comments would only create havoc for a manager he so admires? The Swede is getting all too familiar with English self-destructiveness. "We have a wonderful squad," he said, setting out the happy prospect that is regularly blighted by folly. "It's getting better and better every time we are together . . . Now and then a problem pops up. If a big problem doesn't crop up, we create it ourselves."

Might his mind have been drifting back to the needless ban that kept Rio Ferdinand out of Euro 2004? Beckham's error is not on that scale but he has shown again that he can cause mayhem with a phrase or two.

"I have had in the past many famous football players," Eriksson reflected, "but I don't think any manager in the world has had as famous a player as David Beckham. He must be the most famous football player, along with Maradona maybe and Pele. David is what he is."

Eriksson is most grateful for the healthy aspects of Beckham's pervasive presence but he must be aghast at the fact he will have to show some disapproval of his captain. It was in keeping with Beckham's celebrity that the manager's attempts to contact him yesterday got no further than his answering machine. All the same there was no rush since Eriksson will give his verdict on the business only tomorrow or Friday, after World Cup duties in Baku have been completed.

The English FA may wish to display disciplinary zeal but any suspension from, for example, the qualifier with Northern Ireland in March would be harmful to England's cause and provocative to players still resentful from Ferdinand's exclusion from the match with Turkey. Dropping Beckham for the friendly with Spain next month would be meaningless if he is injured.

"I've sent players home, I've sold players, I've fined them," said Eriksson, setting out disciplinary credentials from his days as a club manager. He is likely, however, to prefer some sort of token reprimand for Beckham.

Eriksson has definitely been punished. He was made to discuss morality and sport at unreasonable length. He spoke of sides settling for a mutually beneficial draw and of forwards hitting the deck when they might have ridden a tackle as he chronicled the shabby practices that arise when ambitions are at work.

"I am not a teacher," Eriksson protested. "I am not a father at Sunday school. I'd like to live in a perfect world as well - no problems, no fouls - but it's football."

Beckham, at Real, has managed to get himself booked in the past but there was an aspect to Saturday's actions that was particularly offensive. All he needed to do to be booked was waste time, fail to retreat at a free-kick or just take off his jersey. Instead he jumped into a potentially damaging challenge on Ben Thatcher.

The rest of the squad might have mulled over such issues as they readied themselves for tonight's game. It is likely, however, they were more interested in what Eriksson has in store for them. After his deployment of three forwards against Wales, there were suggestions the Swede will switch to 4-4-2 so that England would have sufficient numbers in midfield.

Nonetheless the manager may now keep Wayne Rooney, Michael Owen and Jermain Defoe together up front. Eriksson could not then afford to put a winger like Shaun Wright-Phillips in the team. Although Owen Hargreaves is a candidate for the Beckham vacancy, it may well be Jermaine Jenas gets the job.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

AZERBAIJAN: Hasanzade; Amirbekov, Hajiyev, Guliyev, Guliyev; Shukurov, Gurbanov, Mamedov, Sadygov; Aliyev, Nabiyev.

ENGLAND: Robinson; Neville, Campbell, Ferdinand, A Cole; Lampard, Butt, Rooney, Hargreaves; Defoe, Owen.

Referee: Alain Hamer (Luxembourg)