England v San Marino preview - Captain Rooney to lead the way as England eye convincing win

Posted Friday, October 12, 2012 by skysports.com

England v San Marino preview - Captain Rooney to lead the way as England eye convincing win
Wayne Rooney and Roy Hodgson will be plotting a big win on Friday evening

England find themselves in an unusual position as they prepare for a World Cup qualifier in front of 90,000 with one eye on the next game.

The Three Lions face San Marino on Friday with three points considered a formality against the side ranked 207 - joint last - in the FIFA rankings.

But after only managing a draw at home to Ukraine in their previous match in Group H, Roy Hodgson's men know that a win in Poland on Tuesday is essential.

That could see the England boss rotating his squad for the two games with several key players already ruled out of the clash with the group minnows.

Rooney

Skipper Steven Gerrard and first-choice right-back Glen Johnson are both suspended, while Frank Lampard has been ruled out of Friday's game with injury and Ashley Cole could sit this one out.

But Wayne Rooney will be involved with the Manchester United forward named captain in Gerrard's absence and England's strikers will surely be hoping to enhance their records here.

San Marino's performances have been particularly miserable on their travels, having conceded eight to both Hungary and Finland in 2010 and a whopping 11 in Holland last year.

Perhaps the visitors will have to content themselves with the chance of becoming the next Davide Gualtieri - the man who scored after just eight seconds the last time these teams met in 1993.

Team news

Leighton Baines could continue at left-back meaning Cole will be unable to win his 100th cap next week. Kyle Walker can expect to fill the other full-back slot in the absence of Johnson.

In midfield there may be opportunities for the United pairing of Michael Carrick and Tom Cleverley as Gerrard and Lampard are unavailable.

In attack, Jermain Defoe will hope to partner Rooney but the likes of Danny Welbeck, Andy Carroll and Theo Walcott would also consider themselves unlucky to miss out on the expected feast.