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Despite Jamie Vardy's drop in form, Antoine Griezmann remains a big fan of him. The Atletico Madrid forward rates him, external as the third best player in the world, behind Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Righto...

England boss Gareth Southgate, speaking to ITV Sport, on making just three changes: "It is for stability. It is good to have some consistency around you, it gives you a better chance of succeeding.

On picking Jamie Vardy over Marcus Rashford: "Marcus is a player we think a lot of. I've picked Jamie Vardy for his pace, movement, experience. 

On whether he feels he is still auditioning for the England manager's job: "I think it is a great challenge today. Tonight is something exciting to have a go at."

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It seems like only yesterday that the world of football was lording up Spain's style at Euro 2012 as the template for others to use. They won the tournament playing without a recognised striker, as midfielder Cesc Fabregas operated as the team's most advanced player.

They have since sacked off such a tactic, with current boss Julen Lopetegui favouring a central striker. Usually that would be Diego Costa but the Chelsea man has a groin injury, so the evergreen Aritz Aduriz leads the line. 

The Athletic Bilbao man scored in Spain's 4-0 win against Macedonia at the weekend, making him the oldest player to score for his country at the age of 35 years and nine months. That was his 11th goal of the season. No other Spanish player has scored more.

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Croatian Football Federation president Davor Suker says he felt compelled to honour “the footballing icon of Northern Ireland” by visiting George Best's grave ahead of tonight's match.

Former Real Madrid and Arsenal striker Suker visited Roselawn Cemetery earlier and paid tribute by laying flowers on his resting place.

He said Best's "dribbling abilities, goals, speed and agility brought comparisons with both Pele and Maradona".

Chris Waddle
Ex-England winger, BBC Radio 5 live at Wembley

I'm surprised Gareth Southgate has not been kicking the door down. 

Ian Dennis
Senior football reporter

Image source, Reuters

It would be very embarrassing for the FA to go for a fourth manager in 12 months. I believe Gareth Southgate will be the next England manager.

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Danny Mills
Ex-England defender on Radio 5 live at Wembley

Why do the FA need a period of reflection in regards to appointing the next England manager? What are they reflecting on? That is what I don't understand. 

Either Gareth Southgate is the right man or not. It's ridiculous it has got to this stage.

Ian Dennis
Senior football reporter at Wembley

I'm expecting the FA to clarify the situation regarding the manager's position in the next 24 hours. The formal process starts after this game. 

I honestly don’t know what is stopping them but we should know in the next 24 hrs.

So when can Gareth Southgate expect to be told if he has the England job full-time? He wants an answer one way or the other within a month.

"It will be important for me to know what I'm doing after the middle of November," said Southgate, who stepped up from the Under-21s to take charge of the senior team.

"We've got a European Under-21 Championship to prepare for and the seniors have got their next round of qualifiers [in March].

"Of course everybody is going to want to know, I guess, by the end of November, middle of December, where everything is heading so we can decide who is responsible for which parts of the organisation's work."

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Gareth Southgate isn't the only Home Nations manager whose job prospects have been publicly dissected over the past few weeks. 

Is under-pressure Scotland gaffer Gordon Strachan facing a spell of unemployment? And does that mean Michael O'Neill is about to swap the Green and White Army for the Tartan Army?

The Northern Ireland manager, who is based in Edinburgh, says he has not given chat about him replacing Strachan "a second thought".

Should Norn Iron fans be worried? "No, I don't think so," he added.

So that's that then. Right?

If you recognise more than a few of the names in the Croatia starting XI then consider yourself a football hipster.

Without the likes of Luka Modric, Ivan Rakitic and Mateo Kovacic, Juventus striker Mario Mandzukic leads the side and is joined in attack by Leicester's former record-buy Andrej Kramaric.

And they go back to 1996 by naming just five subs. Unfortunately it isn't Boban, Boksic, Jarni, Stimac and Suker.

Croatia XI: Kalinic, Leovac, Mitrovic, Kramaric, Jedvaj, Cop, Rog, Mandzukic, Badelj, Filip, Vida. 

Northern Ireland's fringe players step out of the shadows tonight. Michael O'Neill plonks several of his squad men into the limelight, with Rochdale midfielder Matty Lund making his senior debut.

Aberdeen winger Niall McGinn captains the side on his 50th appearance.

Gareth McAuley, Jonny Evans, Chris Brunt and Josh Magennis are the only men to keep their place from the 4-0 qualifying win over Azerbaijan.

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As anyone who has ever made a mistake on a prominent sports website will tell you (obviously not us...) they soon get spotted and highlighted on social media. And it turns out even the world's finest footballers are as eagle-eyed as the rest of us...

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer at Wembley

Gareth Southgate's four-match job interview for the England manager's post comes to a close with this friendly against Spain here at Wembley.

The 3-0 win against Scotland in Friday's World Cup qualifier looks to have sealed the deal for Southgate to be appointed Sam Allardyce's successor - but he will still want to avoid accidents tonight.

Leicester City's Jamie Vardy gets a chance to remind everyone what he can do while Manchester United youngster Jesse Lingard can also press his future claims.

England face a reshuffled Spain team but they present a test on any occasion.

Chris Waddle
Ex-England winger, BBC Radio 5 live at Wembley

Straight away the FA should have said to Gareth Southgate 'you have got the job'.

What are we waiting for? Is there someone in the background waiting to step in that we don't know about? What a load of rubbish.

Image source, Rex Features

Gareth Southgate doesn't look like a man who is worried about whether or not tonight's game could have an impact on his England future as he walks the pitch before kick-off.

Outside Wembley, the England Supporters band provide the arriving 85,000 or so fans with a bit of music.

Not easy to make out in this picture, but your man with the big drum has an excellent beard.

Image source, Rex Features

Frank Rijkaard? Marco van Basten? Jurgen Klinsmann? Andriy Shevchenko?