Michael Owen’s future as an England player looked bleaker than ever last night after Fabio Capello excluded him from the squad for the World Cup qualifying matches against Kazakhstan and Belarus. The forward has scored three goals in his past four appearances for Newcastle United, not to mention 40 in 89 matches for his country, but Capello has indicated that the 28-year-old’s strike rate is “not enough” to merit a recall.

Owen has been concerned about his place in Capello’s plans since being left on the bench for the Italian’s first match in charge, against Switzerland in February. Since then he has featured for only 45 minutes, as a substitute against France in March, and was left out of the squad for last month’s victories away to Andorra and Croatia.

Capello tried to explain that omission with reference to the forward’s fitness after his return from injury, but this time, having recalled Shaun Wright-Phililps and Peter Crouch, the England manager left no doubt that this was a football decision before matches at home to Kazakhstan on Saturday and against Belarus in Minsk four days later.

Speaking before confirming his 23-man squad last night, Capello said: “He [Owen] is in good form and fit, but it is not enough only to score. It is not enough to play for 89 minutes and then score. I accept goals are very important, but not only the goal. I decide not because I like or dislike players but who I think is best at the moment.”

Form was clearly behind the recalls of Wright-Phillips, who is back to his best after rejoining Manchester City from Chelsea, and Crouch, who has scored four goals in his past three matches for Portsmouth. David Beckham’s role appears increasingly peripheral but he retains his place, with David Bentley making way for Wright-Phillips.

Paul Robinson, the Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper, and Joe Cole, the Chelsea forward, miss out through injury, along with the Manchester United duo, Owen Hargreaves and Michael Carrick. Cole’s absence was a surprise, given that Luiz Felipe Scolari, the Chelsea manager, played down the player’s foot injury immediately after the 2-0 win over Aston Villa yesterday.

Cole’s injury means that Capello will be unable to keep the starting lineup that earned a hugely impressive 4-1 win away to Croatia last month, with Steven Gerrard certain to return to the team after injury. Gerrard’s role is not yet clear, but it will not be at the expense of Frank Lampard, who excelled in Gerrard’s absence in Zagreb.

Another who will firmly expect to be involved is Wayne Rooney, having recovered from an ankle injury to score in his third consecutive match for United, against Blackburn Rovers, on Saturday. Sir Alex Ferguson, the United manager, has suggested that Capello might consider restricting Rooney to one of the two matches, but the forward said: “I feel fine. I just have to be careful with my ankle. It has been a bit weak over the last couple of weeks, but I will be fine for the England games.” Rooney is expected to be partnered in attack against Kazakhstan by Emile Heskey, the Wigan Athletic forward having impressed Capello with his form for club and country this season.

The squad

D James (Portsmouth), R Green (West Ham United), S Carson (West Bromwich Albion); W Brown (Manchester United), G Johnson (Portsmouth), J Terry (Chelsea), R Ferdinand (Manchester United), J Lescott (Everton), M Upson (West Ham United), A Cole (Chelsea), W Bridge (Chelsea); D Beckham (Los Angeles Galaxy), T Walcott (Arsenal), G Barry (Aston Villa), J Jenas (Tottenham Hotspur), F Lampard (Chelsea), S Gerrard (Liverpool), S Downing (Middlesbrough), S Wright-Phillips (Manchester City); E Heskey (Wigan Athletic), P Crouch (Portsmouth), W Rooney (Manchester United), J Defoe (Portsmouth).

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