Villa midfielder James Milner has played his way into Sunday’s World Cup showdown with Germany after emerging as one of England’s chosen five penalty takers.

Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Wayne Rooney and Gareth Barry are the other players earmarked for the high-pressure scenario, which has so often resulted in a heart-wrenching end to the nation’s dreams of glory.

But national boss Fabio Capello, whose team face Germany in the last 16 in Bloemfontein on Sunday afternoon, hopes his meticulous preparation will make the difference with his players having practiced spot-kicks after every training session.

It’s believed the players have even been told where to place their penalties, after being analysed in training and for their clubs.

England’s penalty record against the Germans makes worrying reading with their old foes the victors in the World Cup of 1990, when Stuart Pearce and Chris Waddle missed, and the 1996 European Championships, when Gareth Southgate saw his attempt saved. And Germany have not missed in a World Cup shoot-out since 1982.

More recently, Gerrard, Lampard and Jamie Carragher all missed in the quarter-final shoot-out defeat to Portugal four years ago.

But captain Gerrard hopes practice will make perfect.

He said: “The manager is on to the penalty takers to make sure we’re doing it properly in training and not messing around. He wants us to do in training what we do in a game – pick a spot and do not change your mind.

“It’s massive pressure.”

Milner’s inclusion in the quintet suggests he has done enough to start the game, after setting up Jermain Defoe for Wednesday’s winner against Slovenia.

David Beckham has helped advise him with the former skipper having endured contrasting penalty emotions in the 2002 World Cup, scoring the winner from the spot against Argentina, and the 2004 European Championships, missing against France and Portugal.

Milner said: “Since I have come into the squad over the last year or so, I have been in the squad with him and watching him in training.

“Before the game, he will come over and have a chat to you, say what he thinks about the game and give you the odd word.

“It’s obviously fantastic to have a player of his quality and experience about the place and to give not just the wide players, but everyone a lift and a word when they need it.”