Rio Ferdinand is fit enough to replace Manchester United teammate Wes Brown alongside captain John Terry in the heart of the England defence that faces Macedonia tomorrow. He will be the only change to Steve McClaren's starting line-up although he may test a three-man back line again if the conditions favour it. It may yet be too early in the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign to start experimenting with a 3-5-2 system. Aaron Lennon will again be among the substitutes.
Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe will resume up front in Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen's continued absence. There's no guarantee that Owen will ever again be an automatic starter for England under McClaren. The former Galactico will not be back in contention until the home Euro 2008 qualifier against Israel next September at the earliest.
Sources: Mark Irwin in The Sun, and Sam Wallace in The Independent