Kieron Dyer has expressed fresh hope that he can recover his fitness in time for the World Cup finals.

　　The winger, who is set to join the England squad in Dubai, picked up a knee injury only last Saturday playing for Newcastle against Southampton.

　　"The knee is getting better and better each day and I am getting less and less discomfort from it.

　　"At the end of the day, though, the decision is England's.

　　I will not go to the World Cup if I'm not fit, but I certainly haven't given up and from what I've been told Mr Eriksson has not given up on me."

　　Medical staff at St James’s Park have worked tirelessly since Dyer sustained knee ligament damage last weekend.

　　After touching base with both Dyer and Newcastle team doctors, England coach Sven Goran Eriksson ordered the 23 year old to fly out to the national team's Dubai resort on Friday, accompanied by FA chief executive Adam Crozier.

　　England’s travelling party will then fly out to Korea,swheresEriksson will put Dyer through his paces early next week.

　　Eriksson must then make a decision on the pacy playmaker before submitting his final squad to FIFA by May 21.

　　"This is very positive news," Eriksson told the FA’s official site.“He will be coming out to join us and we will see what happens then.

　　"It seems that he can start running tomorrow and it’s important that in the next few days, our medical staff get the chance to assess him in detail and see if he can prove his fitness.

　　"The important thing for any player at a World Cup is to be 100 per cent fit."

　　With Steven Gerrard already joining Gary Neville on the England sick-list, Danny Murphy has now officially joined the England squad, while West Ham midfielder Trevor Sinclair remains on standby.