WAYNE Rooney will skipper a strong England side in what should be a one-sided World Cup qualifier against San Marino this evening.

England's opponents have never won a competitive fixture, and the hosts are 1-200 to record a victory at Wembley.

Rooney skippers the side in the absence of Steven Gerrard (suspended) and Frank Lampard (injured) as Roy Hodgson's side look to move back above Montenegro at the top of the Group H standings.

The Manchester United attacker is expected to play in a slightly more withdrawn role behind Danny Welbeck.

Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will be charged with the task of supplying England's width, with Sunderland's Adam Johnson restricted to a place on the substitutes' bench.

After the controversies of the last week, there is no place for Ashley Cole in the starting line-up, with Hodgson preferring Everton's Leighton Baines at left-back.

ENGLAND (4-2-3-1): Hart; Walker, Jagielka, Cahill, Baines; Carrick, Cleverley; Walcott, Rooney, Oxlade-Chamberlain; Welbeck.

Subs: Ruddy (gk), Forster (gk), Cole, Lescott, Shawcross, Milner, Shelvey, A Johnson, Lennon, Carroll, Defoe.

SAN MARINO (4-2-3-1): Simoncini; F Vitaioli, Simoncini, Della Valle, Brolli; Coppini, Cervellini; Gasperoni, Cibelli, Palazzi; Danilo.

Subs: Bacciocchi (gk), Valentini, Bollini, Buscarini, Marani, Mazza, Selva, Vannucci, M Vitaioli.