Smith, asked about the impact of the pay dispute on his side's preparations, told reporters at Edgbaston on Friday: "We're not anxious about that at all".
The game is effectively a dead rubber for the hosts, but England assistant coach Paul Farbrace wants his team to embrace the challenge of taking on Australia's quicks.
Australia's top order has shown glimpses of form but without having completed a full match it is hard to determine how they are really travelling.
Asked about the potential distraction of the contract stand-off with Cricket Australia, he said: "We're not anxious about that at all".
Smith's side contains several proven match-winners and the skipper said he expected his team to raise their game on Saturday.
"It's obviously a must-win match for us".
The English pacers Liam Plunkett, Jake Ball, Mark Wood and Ben Stokes have been in good nick in the tournament and so has been their lone slow-bowling option in leggie Adil Rashid, who can hurt Australia in the middle overs.
The ICC Champions Trophy match between Australia and England match will be played at Edgbaston. "Let's hope it's tomorrow".
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While the completion of those matches would have given Australia a chance to give them something on the net run rate, with it opening up another possible qualification scenario, Steve Smith's team can do nothing now, but win this game.
"Being a fresh wicket, there could be a little bit there, and he'll certainly come into contention, I'm sure". They've got some unsafe players that we're going to have to keep quiet.
"They're always big games, regardless of what's on the line", England captain Eoin Morgan said.
"So from that side of things if you never get to play in an Ashes game, it's the closest you will get".
The former Ireland batsman does not expect to add to his tally of 16 Test caps, with the Middlesex left-hander's global focus now firmly on white-ball cricket.
Although his side are already into the last four, Morgan sees Saturday's match as important staging post on the road to the 2019 World Cup in England.
"And I think that anyone who's been there and played against them, when you win against them you know you're beating one of the better sides in the world".
And the skipper does not feel that Roy needs to change his approach, adding: "I don't think anyone uses the phrase "knuckle down" in white ball cricket anymore, I definitely won't be telling Jason Roy to knuckle down".
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