Oxford-based Martin Keown is relishing the prospect of his first start for England in a tournament for eight years in tomorrow's crunch Euro 2000 clash with Germany in Charleroi but he insisted: I have got nothing to prove.

The last time that the Arsenal defender was in the first team for his country at a major competition was in the 1992 European Championship finals in Sweden, when he played as right-back.

But with Tony Adams ruled out through a recurrence of his back injury, Keown is poised to be in the starting line-up against the Germans - and the former Aston Villa and Everton player, who lives in Wheatley, is confident he will not let his country down. Keown said: I didn't get picked for Euro '96 and the World Cup two years ago was just one of those things. I'd come back from a bad injury and I did very well just to get into the squad.

I was disappointed that I wasn't playing in the first game, but the boss read my reaction and came to speak to me first and I respected his decision.

I would love to play against Germany, but I have got nothing to prove. I know how good - or bad - I am."