England 1, Brazil 1.

DAVID Beckham is hotly tipped to win a knighthood when Tony Blair announces his resignation honours later this year so, last night, it was fitting that the former England skipper displayed his chivalrous qualities by saving his master's skin.

Steve McClaren still needs to engineer a victory in Estonia in four days time to safeguard his position following a dreadful spring but, by setting up the first England goal at the new Wembley and thereby laying the foundations for a morale-boosting 1-1 draw with Brazil, Beckham has bought his boss some much-needed breathing space.

John Terry might have produced the back-post header that converted a typically well-delivered free-kick from the flank, but England's second-half opener, like the majority of the build-up to last night's game, was all about a certain number seven.

Brazilian substitute Diego spoiled the party when he nodded home Gilberto Silva's cross in the second minute of stoppage-time, but the visitors' equaliser could not push Beckham from the spotlight.

This was hardly his best performance in an England shirt, but the cheer that greeted the former captain's 77th-minute substitution spoke volumes for his enduring quality. If the 32-year-old sets up an England goal in Tallinn this week as well, even McClaren might feel that his knighthood has been earned.

Restored to what many consider to be his rightful place on the right of England's midfield, Beckham came close to celebrating his return to the international ranks with a 29th-minute free-kick that crept past the left-hand upright. But while a goalscoring return was a fairytale too far, an assist was hardly a bad way to show McClaren what he has been missing since Beckham was axed from the squad last August.

The Real Madrid midfielder's measured display was last night's major positive, but McClaren, who was left scratching his head as Diego eluded Ledley King to deprive his England side of a much-needed win, will still have been concerned by another goalless evening's work from Michael Owen.

Tomorrow marks the 12-month anniversary of Owen's last senior goal, but with Wayne Rooney suspended for Wednesday's trip to Tallinn, the Newcastle striker will still be the focal point for England's attack in the A Le Coq Arena.

With that in mind, his lack of success in his last two outings is a worry. Last night's display was better than last week's lacklustre showing for England's B team against Albania, but Owen will surely have to improve further if he is to add to his 36 international goals in Estonia.

There were glimpses of the Owen of old last night - most notably when he glanced a near-post header narrowly over the crossbar after Beckham produced one of his trademark right-wing deliveries shortly before the hour mark - but they remained fleeting.

Instead, it was left to the Newcastle striker's opposite number in the Brazilian number ten shirt to produce the early attacking highlights in a competitive, but largely chance-free, encounter.

Kaka might not have scaled the heights that he ascended during AC Milan's thrilling Champions League semi-final victory over Manchester United but, playing off the shoulder of fellow frontman Vagner Love, the 25-year-old was the fulcrum for the majority of Brazil's attacks.

Twice he embarrassed England's defenders, but twice he was unable to make the most of the opening he had created for himself. First, he dragged a weak shot wide of the post after skipping past Joe Cole, then he was thwarted by a magnificent last-ditch challenge from Steven Gerrard after twisting past a pedestrian Ledley King.

While Gerrard's tackle was timely, the fact that he was patrolling the edge of his area to make it said much about England's midfield play.

No doubt aware of repeated claims that they are unable to play alongside each other at the heart of the England midfield, Gerrard and Frank Lampard responded by refusing to leave their defensive stations in front of the home side's back four.

Their diligence was commendable given the quality of the Brazilian playmakers they were up against, but their lack of adventure will be a hindrance rather than a help if it is repeated against much less adventurous opponents when England travel to Estonia this week.

If McClaren is to name an unchanged midfield in Tallinn - and in the continued absence of the injured Owen Hargreaves, all available evidence suggests that he will - either Gerrard or Lampard is going to have to make regular forays in support of England's front two. A refusal to push too far forward against Brazil was understandable but a similar approach on Wednesday would surely risk repeating the inertia that plagued McClaren's side during March's dreadful double-header against Israel and Andorra.

Brazil were marginally more adventurous last night, but while Gilberto Silva was unfortunate to have a first-half header chalked off for offside - television replays showed it was Love that was in an offside position as Ronaldinho delivered a free-kick, not the Arsenal midfielder - much of the visitors' slick passing faltered in the final third of the field.

And when they did eventually convert their plentiful possession into a meaningful opportunity five minutes after the break, they found Tottenham goalkeeper Paul Robinson in one of his more resolute moods.

Ronaldinho's first-time effort was heading into the bottom left-hand corner after deflecting off King's foot, but Robinson flung himself to his right to produce an excellent one-handed save.

Brazil's goalkeeper, Helton, was also called into action shortly after, acrobatically tipping Stewart Downing's 25-yard drive over the crossbar as the Middlesbrough midfielder threatened to score with his first touch after replacing the largely ineffectual Joe Cole, but he was unable to do anything when Terry pounced in the 68th minute.

Beckham's right-wing free-kick evaded the entire Brazilian defence and a rampaging Terry powered a back-post header beyond Helton's grasp.

That looked like being that but, after Afonso came close to equalising with a shot that drifted narrowly past the post, Diego stole in between England's centre-halves to go one better in stoppage-time.