Terry winning fitness battle

John Terry appeared to have won his battle to be fit for England’s Wembley clash with Slovenia on Saturday after coming through a full training session on the eve of the friendly.

The Chelsea and England skipper had been struggling with a knock he received earlier in the week but now looks set to lead Fabio Capello’s team out in what is a warm-up match for Wednesday’s World Cup qualifier against Croatia, in which a win could book England’s place in next year’s finals.

Manchester United defender Wes Brown and back-up goalkeeper Paul Robinson also played a full part in the session after recovering from their respective niggles.

Brown’s team-mate Ben Foster, who is hoping to establish himself as Capello’s first-choice goalkeeper, missed the session to be with his partner, who was due to give birth.

Foster was expected to rejoin the squad on Friday evening but his absence from the final training session suggests that West Ham’s Robert Green will start his fourth consecutive international on Saturday.

David James, who was Capello’s number one goalkeeper up until the end of last season, has missed out on recent squads as a result of close-season surgery and a subsequent injury which has prevented him from playing for Portsmouth.