It would be wrong to say Michael Owen has become sick of talking about his England future.

As long as it remains a source of intense debate, the Manchester United striker will believe he retains a chance of going to the World Cup finals in South Africa next summer, but as the subject turned inevitably yesterday to his prospects of an international recall, there was a palpable weariness in Owen’s voice. It was as if he was thinking, “Oh no, not all this again.”

Perhaps Owen knows that the time for talking passed long ago and that only a run of games and goals for United will persuade Fabio Capello, the England manager, to pick him.

Capello will be in the Old Trafford crowd tonight to watch Owen make only his sixth start for United since joining the club on a free transfer from Newcastle United in the summer.

With Dimitar Berbatov a doubt because of a knee injury and Wayne Rooney unlikely to be involved after his wife gave birth to their first child yesterday, Owen will be asked to lead the line for United against CSKA Moscow, with Sir Alex Ferguson’s team needing only a point to all but guarantee qualification for the Champions League knockout rounds.

Owen’s desire to impress will be understandable. Capello has seen none of his three goals for United so far in the flesh and the Italian was left disappointed when he visited Old Trafford for United’s previous home game in the competition, against Wolfsburg in September, when Owen limped off injured after 20 minutes.

CSKA may not represent the most formidable opposition, but Owen accepted yesterday that his form in the competition may go a long way towards determining his international future under the former AC Milan, Juventus and Real Madrid coach.

“Yes, I can influence my chances by playing well and playing in the Champions League has got to help,” Owen said. “But I don’t go to bed thinking if I will play for England.

“I think about playing well for Manchester United and the rest will take care of itself. The last [England] squad I was in was a year ago now so it’s something that other people probably talk about more than I think about.

“I’ve played for England 89 times and I would love to play for them again, that is the bottom line, but if I do, I do, and if I don’t, I don’t.

“But first things first, I want to play well and score goals for United. I don’t go out thinking if I score, I could possibly influence England. England can take care of itself.”

Owen accepts that he will be judged by the goals he scores. He recently took umbrage that he received only marks of “three and four” out of ten in some newspapers for his performance in the 2-1 win at home to Bolton Wanderers last month, even though he felt he played much better in that game than he did in the 2-0 Carling Cup fourth-round victory away to Barnsley last week, when he scored and was roundly praised. His principal concern, though, is to lift trophies, having won neither the Champions League nor the Premier League during his career.

“Obviously it is difficult to win these competitions, but that is our aim and it’s exciting to be part of it,” he said.