HOW to stop Luis Suarez is the riddle that will run through Roy Hodgson's mind for the next six months and more.
Thrown into Group D alongside Uruguay for next summer's World Cup finals in Brazil, the England boss must plot how to subdue Liverpool's prolific centre-forward when they meet in Sao Paolo on June 19.
Plenty have tried and failed of late. A 14th goal of the season came in Saturday's 4-1 win over West Ham United and from 10 Premier League starts Suarez has now scored in seven.
Shackling the firebrand centre- forward is fast becoming a lost art, yet Hodgson and his employers at the Football Association were given a timely reminder of one man with the answers soon after Friday's draw.
Curtis Davies, the dominant central defender for Hull City, is one of the few opponents to enjoy success against Suarez this season, nullifying his threat in the Tigers' 3-1 victory over Liverpool last weekend. And City's followers were quick to state the case on Davies' behalf.
"It was funny. I got a load of tweets through from Hull fans including @FA saying that Roy Hodgson should pick me because I was the only one who had stopped Suarez this season," said Davies, who will return to the City defence at Swansea tonight following a one-match ban.
"It makes me laugh, it was good banter, and nice to know the fans are backing me.
"But, in all seriousness, whoever I'd play against I'd back myself to do well.
"I'd love to go to Brazil but having never played for England up to now, it's very hard for the manager to make a judgment. Other players have played for him and there's a natural trust and belief in them.
"At the moment he doesn't know he could rely on me because I've never worked with him and may never work with him. Obviously I've just got to try and overcome that and do my best to force my way into his head."
Davies laughs at the prospect of meeting Suarez again in Brazil next summer but do not mistake it for a premature surrender of his international ambitions.
Although at 28 he is still awaiting his first England cap, two call-ups came during the reign of Fabio Capello at a time he was starring for Aston Villa. Another is hardly a pipe-dream given his excellent performances in black and amber.
Asked how he rated his chances of gatecrashing the England party, Davies said: "Pretty slim. At the moment it would probably take all of them to get injured and a few reserve ones too.
"People like Michael Dawson and Steven Caulker who have been capped by this manager. John Terry, who's declared he would like to play and is in good form.
"There's probably more options ahead of me or alongside me that the manager could take. Until I'm given a carrot or a little bit of hope then I'm never going to believe it's going to happen."
There is a certain disappointment to be found in Davies' tone.
He added: "No disrespect to the players there now but it's not the era of old with Sol Campbell, Rio Ferdinand and John Terry at their peak.
"There's players there who are doing well for big clubs but I don't feel as though there's anyone who's head and shoulders above me at the minute. There might be better players than me but none where you'd say they were a different class."
Davies' report card has almost been unblemished since arriving from Birmingham City for £2.25m this summer.
Holding together the Tigers' defence with an expert eye and calming presence, only once has the Londoner allowed his high standards to slip. Unfortunately for Davies, the 4-1 loss at Southampton last month was the one Tigers game ever attended by Hodgson.
"This is my best ever form I'd say," said Davies, whose ever present record was only scuppered by a fifth yellow card ruling him out of the 2-0 loss at Arsenal.
"Basing it over the 13 games so far, there's only been one game where I've been disappointed (at Southampton) and I'm my own worst critic.
"That might count against me to but it's easy to have the excuse of saying 'I watched him at Southampton' because there's a dozen other games I've played in and played well.
"I don't think the manager (Hodgson) would ever think like that but at the same time he's got an idea of who he wants set in stone. It's more up to me to do something spectacular to catch his eye.
"Being back in the Premier League and come up against the in-form strikers that I have, I've managed to nullify their threat as much as I can. I feel confident going into every game now."
A televised fixture at Swansea tonight can see Davies' strengthen his claims for an England place when returning to Steve Bruce's defence.
Securing precious points in City's survival bid is the more immediate concern, however, following a weekend that saw Stoke, Norwich, Crystal Palace and Fulham all secure wins. The Tigers' advantage off the bottom three has been cut to just four points.
City are unlikely to find life easy at the Liberty Stadium against Swansea, Capital One Cup holders and Europa League representatives, but having previously travelled to seven of the Premier League's top eight, tonight's clash perhaps offers their best chance yet of points on the road.
Davies added: "You'll not find many teams within our mini-league who are getting points from places like Everton, Tottenham, Man City, Arsenal and Chelsea.
"We've shown what we're capable of at Newcastle. That was a special win to come back twice and win the game.
"A point away from home is always a good point in the Premier League."
