Summary

  • England have six points from two qualifiers

  • Rooney scores 42nd international goal

  • Welbeck scores his third of qualifying campaign

  • Group rivals Switzerland lose in Slovenia

  • European champions Spain lose in Slovakia

  1. Postpublished at 19:28 British Summer Time 9 October 2014

    Fifteen minutes away from kick-off and the only line-up I've seen from San Marino so far has 10 players. Mavericks.

  2. Roy's viewpublished at 19:25 British Summer Time 9 October 2014

    England coach Roy Hodgson on ITV: "We need to see a continuation from, in particular, what we saw against Switzerland and, to some extent, Norway. Those performances gave us encouragement.

    "We are playing opponents not of the level of the last two - that poses problems though. We've set players objectives tonight. Fabian [Delph] we are sparing because he took a nasty kick at the weekend. With the other game coming so close we are resting him and also giving Jack [Wilshere] the chance to play further forward."

  3. Follow Russia!published at 19:22 British Summer Time 9 October 2014

    If England need any pointers on firing in the goals, they can have a word with the Russian U19 side who thumped non-league Cheadle Town 22-0 last weekend.

    The Russians were 9-0 up at the break against the Cheshire side and despite making wholesale changes, added 13 more in the second half.

    Russia U19s scored in the fourth, 13th, 18th, 25th, 30th, 33rd, 38th, 42nd, 44th, 46th, 47th, 50th, 54th, 57th, 62nd, 67th, 68th, 69th, 73rd, 76th, 80th and 83rd minutes.

  4. Postpublished at 19:19 British Summer Time 9 October 2014

    Robert Green
    QPR and England goalkeeper at Wembley for 5 live Sport

    "On an evening like tonight England will have relatively little coming at them, so players can be given license to play more freely. If I was Nathaniel Clyne I'd be a bit annoyed. He played well in his last England game, a cap is a cap, and he'll be wondering when, if he doesn't play tonight, he will play again."

  5. Join the debate at #bbcfootballpublished at 19:14 British Summer Time 9 October 2014

    Kritt Normsaskul:, external The England v San Marino result has already been decided. The question is the winning margin.

    Chris Clarke:, external England can't win tonight. If they don't win by five or more they're rubbish, but if they destroy them then who cares, it's only San Marino...

    James Chester:, external To Chris in West Hampstead (19:03). San Marino already have a club side in Italy, San Marino Calcio, who compete in Lega Pro/B.

  6. Postpublished at 19:14 British Summer Time 9 October 2014

    BBC Sport Chief Football Writer Phil McNulty at Wembley

    "England face familiar opponents in San Marino here at Wembley tonight after scoring 13 goals without reply against the minnows in two World Cup qualifiers.

    "There is a heavy Arsenal influence in manager Roy Hodgson's side as England attempt to build on their important opening Euro 2016 qualifier win in Switzerland. Calum Chambers makes his first start and he is joined Kieran Gibbs, who makes his first international start for four years, Jack Wilshere and Danny Welbeck.

    "The outcome will be the expected one against a San Marino side ranked joint last in World football at 208th in the Fifa rankings - but Hodgson and his players will want to make this an emphatic win ahead of Sunday's game in Estonia."

  7. Away the ladspublished at 19:12 British Summer Time 9 October 2014

    San Marino teamImage source, Getty Images
  8. Postpublished at 19:11 British Summer Time 9 October 2014

    Robert Green
    QPR and England goalkeeper at Wembley for 5 live Sport

    "I don't see the point of this game as a competitive fixture. The smaller countries should play in their own competition. This sort of game doesn't develop San Marino at all. Goal difference doesn't even matter any more in this competition, so really what's the point?

    "I played a game here for England against Andorra a few years ago and it was the most boring game I've ever played in, because they just refused to attack."

  9. The danger manpublished at 19:09 British Summer Time 9 October 2014

    England have decided to pick a back four tonight, and they will have to keep an eye on the dangerman up front, Andy Selva.

    The 38-year-old is his country's record goalscorer with eight goals, and no-one else has scored more than two.

    Man on!

  10. Vote for goalspublished at 19:06 British Summer Time 9 October 2014

    England are expected to run up a cricket score this evening, but what would represent a good night's work for Roy Hodgson's men? We want your views on how many goals England should score against San Marino - the world's worst team. You can vote now at the top of this page.

    The vote will close at kick-off and we'll let you know the results once the match is under way. Terms and conditions can be found here.

  11. Postpublished at 19:06 British Summer Time 9 October 2014

    Ever the professional, England manager Roy Hodgson says performance is more important than scoring lots of goals tonight.

    The Three Lions, who won 2-0 in Switzerland in their Group E opener, have not scored fewer than five goals in four previous meetings with the joint-lowest ranked team in the world.

    "It's about performance," Hodgson said.

    "At no time in my talks with the players have we mentioned the number of goals scored."

    Should he?

  12. Text us on 81111published at 19:04 British Summer Time 9 October 2014

    Jenni: If the England players have brought their shooting boots with them this evening then this game could honestly score 10, 11, 12 goals at Wembley tonight. Wayne Rooney could also take a huge step towards England's all-time international scoring record.

    John: All the talk today has been about how many goals England are going to put past San Marino tonight. Who cares? As long as the performance is up to scratch the result will follow. England's qualification group is of a poor standard - goal difference and qualification for Euro 2016 is never going to be an issue.

    Chris in West Hampstead: Monaco has a similar population, and plays as a (now very successful) club side. Surely San Marino would be better off in the Italian domestic league? This game does nobody any favours.

  13. Postpublished at 19:04 British Summer Time 9 October 2014

    Just look at that ball! Wouldn't fancy heading that...

  14. Postpublished at 19:03 British Summer Time 9 October 2014

    Graham Taylor
    Former England manager on 5 live Drive

    Jimmy GreavesImage source, Getty Images

    "Nothing against Wayne Rooney, who I believe has improved a great deal in all aspects and his presentations as captain have been very good, but how many goals in how many games, compared to Jimmy Greaves? Jimmy was a fantastic goalscorer.

    "Wayne will pass him if he scores four tonight, but consider how many more games than Greaves it has taken him. I have a lot of time for players like Jimmy Greaves, a real genuine goalscorer."

  15. Record breaker?published at 19:02 British Summer Time 9 October 2014

    Wayne RooneyImage source, Getty Images

    Captain Wayne Rooney could become his country's third-highest scorer of all time tonight, with the Manchester United forward four goals away from surpassing Jimmy Greaves' tally of 44. He could even break the whole record if he really enjoys himself, with Sir Bobby Charlton top of the pops on 49 goals.

    "I haven't specifically gone out of my way to look at the record but it's there and if I can overtake him this week, or in the coming weeks or months, that would be great," Rooney said.

    "But I'm not going into the game thinking I've got to beat Jimmy Greaves' record.

    "The most important thing for us is to perform well and win games."

  16. No easy games?published at 18:59 British Summer Time 9 October 2014

    As well as a 13-0 defeat by Germany, San Marino have lost 11-0 to the Netherlands, 10-0 to Norway and Poland, 10-1 to Belgium, and 9-0 to both Ukraine and Spain.

    They have lost 8-0 on six occasions, including to England, and conceded seven goals on 10 occasions.

  17. Postpublished at 18:57 British Summer Time 9 October 2014

    BBC Radio 5 live

    The big match is, as you'd expect, live on BBC Radio 5 live.

    Mark Pougatch introduces the affair, and is joined by QPR and England keeper Rob Green.

    Then, up in the gantry commentating on proceedings are Alan Green and John Murray, with one-time Newcastle, Marseille and Three Lions winger Chris Waddle alongside them.

    Ian Dennis is the touchline reporter and will be bustling around the tunnel - you can listen to the whole game live online, via the BBC Sport and BBC iPlayer Radio apps, on digital TV and radio and on 909 and 693 medium-wave.

  18. Indoor action?published at 18:55 British Summer Time 9 October 2014

    San Marino can take some encouragement from their national futsal team, who recorded the best Sammarinese result against an England side in Fifa Futsal World Cup qualifying, losing 5-3 in a preliminary round match staged in Latvia.

  19. Join the debate at #bbcfootballpublished at 18:55 British Summer Time 9 October 2014

    Stewart Edgar:, external Out of San Marino's population only 5,000 are of an age to play for the team. So it's more like England v University of Cumbria...

    Tom Thrall:, external Why do we play four at the back against one of the worst teams in the world?

    Tom Lambert:, external Pleased to see Kieran Gibbs starting after a great start to the season, but Leighton Baines still number one. A clean sheet is priority tonight.

    Not the win, Mr Lambert?

  20. Postpublished at 18:53 British Summer Time 9 October 2014

    Graham Taylor
    Former England manager on 5 live Drive

    "There's an argument for minnows like San Marino, and I'm not being disrespectful, to play tournaments against each other and the winners, topping the group, coming into the European Championship qualifying stage. Some of these games don't really appeal, but this is something Uefa want.

    "This is a game that, really, I'm not certain should be played as a real qualifier. I think people need to look at this - it doesn't do the competition much good at all."