Germany are not taking qualification for granted as they prepare to become the first nation to book their ticket for Euro 2012 on Friday night.

Low: Not taking qualification for granted

Victory over Austria would guarantee Joachim Low's team a place at the finals and extend their perfect record in Group A to eight wins from eight, but nobody is underestimating Friday's task at the Arena AufSchalke.

"Austria are always very motivated against Germany," he warned on Thursday.

"This could be the very last chance for them to aim for second place and we have already mentioned how Austria play well against big nations and have problems with smaller nations.

"But I see us as strong enough and dominant enough to win this game."

Beating their geographical neighbours to seal a place at Euro 2012 is only one aspect of tomorrow night's game.

Keeping a perfect record is another and vice-captain Bastian Schweinsteiger says this is spurring him on.

"We are unbeaten, we have not lost a point and that should continue," he said.

"We want to come though the entire group stage without dropping a point and we have the chance to do so."

Low has yet to make up his mind fully about who to field Friday night, although he did reveal that Toni Kroos will be given the nod ahead of Mario Gotze.

He said: "Kroos is a bit between a traditional attacking midfielder and a holding player and he has always convinced me, so we will start with him tomorrow.

"For me Kroos is the connection player."

However, Low does not fear that Gotze and Mesut Ozil, who has also been named as a definite starter alongside Bastian Schweinsteiger, can play in the same team together.

"I believe that

Gotze and Ozil would get on great together," he explained.

"But Gotze has a lot of games coming up in the Champions League and it is not so easy to take such a leap."

Gotze should therefore get another chance in the friendly match with Poland on Tuesday when the stakes are not so high.

The stakes could not be any higher for Austria as they bid to finish behind Germany and obtain a play-off berth.

They currently trail second-placed Belgium by four points, but they have a game in hand.

Coach Dietmar Constantini has recalled Werder Bremen striker Marko Arnautovic after he was suspended from the national team after a disturbance in the dressing room after the 2-0 defeat by Turkey in March.

"What was decisive was that he called me and we had a chat," revealed Constantini. "Even his coach Thomas Schaaf has given him a positive report on and off the field.

"I have laid down the rules and if he doesn't stick to them, then he is out."

Those rules include a ban on talking to anybody other than his coach and team-mates this week.

Schweinsteiger is wary of the returning Arnautovic.

He added: "They are not an attacking side, but they do have a quick counter-attack.

"(Martin) Harnik and Arnautovic are both quick players, as is (David) Alaba."