FULL-TIME: ENGLAND 0-0 FYR MACEDONIA

In terms of possession England have been on top but in truth they've been below par and a draw will be a fair result

There will be two minutes of stoppage time added to the second period

England are building a head of steam but it might just be too little too late

Crouch takes a cross down on the back post but drills a shot into the turf and the keeper palms away when maybe a cross was the better option

Gerrard clatters a 20-yard strike off the crossbar after a neat run and pass by Wright-Phillips - that was inches away from an opening goal with just five minutes left

Pandev is replaced by Darko Tasevski by Macedonia

Crouch controls a long pass on his chest before dispatching a volley a few yards wide of the mark from 20 yards

Macedonia are looking relatively comfortable here and a goalless draw could well be on the cards

King wins the ball with a shuddering tackle and after England play on with an opponent down Crouch gets involved in a fracas in the centre circle

Rooney is replaced by Jermain Defoe as England make a second change

The game is geting stretched now with both sides beginning to take more chances

Wright-Phillips almost gets on the scoresheet immediately as he latches on to a through ball from Crouch but shoots tamely at the keeper

Downing makes way for the Chelsea man to the delight of the home fans

Shaun Wright-Phillips looks like he's coming on in a first change by England

Nikoloski again comes to the rescue as he beats away a left-foot shot from Rooney after he takes down a long ball over the top and tries his luck from the edge of the six-yard box

Cole lofts over a cross from the left and Crouch climbs but heads wide of the far post under pressure

Lampard squares a 20-yard free-kick to Gerrerd but his low strike is well wide of the mark

England are building a head of steam here now but can they make the breakthrough?

Crouch sees a downward header from eight yards blocked on the line by the keeper and Neville drills the rebound over from an acute angle - that's England's best chance of the game gone begging

Robinson blocks a low strike from Stojkov with his legs out for a corner after the Macedonia substitute beats King for pace

Aleksandar Mitreski rises on the penalty spot and heads a corner just over the bar after John Terry mis-judges the flight of the ball

Jermain Defoe and Darren Bent are warming up on the sidelines as Steve McClaren contemplates making changes

England have started this second period at a much higer tempo as the visitors are being contained in their own half

Gerrard now has his name taken for a foul and will miss Wednesday's game in Croatia

Nikoloski acrobatically palms away a Lampard header from Gerrard's angled free-kick at full stretch

Petrov is the first name in the book for a late lunge on Gerrard

Aco Stojkov has replaced the injured Naumoski at half-time

Macedonia get the second half under way with the game evenly poised

ENGLAND 0-0 FYR MACEDONIA

One minute of time will be added to this first period

Paul Robinson has to be alert to come off his line and punch away the free-kick under pressure as Macedonia finish the half with a flourish

Neville clatters into the ankles of Naumoski deep in England territory and is lucky not to see yellow

Nikoloski blocks a stabbed effort from Lampard from eight yards after the Chelsea man brings the ball down on the edge of the box and cuts inside his marker - that's England's best chance of the half

Pandev skins Gerrard down the England right and gets to the byline but there's nobody in the box and the cross bounces away to safety

Crouch comes deep this time and looks to play in Gerrard but the pass is woefully over-hit and the keeper claims

Vlade Lazarevski beats Downing on the right and sends over a cross which Robert Petrov volleys high and wide - that's a let off for England

Downing goes on the outside ofhis marker and sends over a much better cross but Crouch is penalised for shirt pulling in the centre

Gerrard cuts inside from the left but again over hits a cross and the keeper claims

Gerrard powers past two markers before sending over a cross that's too deep for Rooney and Crouch - that's better still from England as they pick up the tempo

Rooney and Gerrard combine excellently but the Liverpool man can't reach the second return pass and Macedonia clear on the edge of their own box

Lampard lays off to Neville who looks for an early pass inside to Rooney but his club colleague can't beat the defender to the ball - that's better from England

It's not exactly been an inspiring start from England here as they struggle to open up a solid looking defence

Carrick plays in Gerrard down the right but his early cross is cut out before it can reach Rooney arriving into the box

Stewart Downing sends over a deep cross but the keeper climbs above Crouch to palm the ball down before claiming

Igor Mitreski clatters into Crouch on the half way line and is a little lucky to escape a caution

Ashley Cole squares the ball to Rooney on the edge of the box but his first-time lay off looking for Crouch is intercepted

The crowd are becoming a little frustrated as Ledley King passes the ball straight out of play when looking for Neville

Neville again runs into space down the right but the final ball isn't the greatest and Macedonia clear their lines

England are having the lion's share of possession here but Macedonia look well organised and capable of breaking quickly

Goran Pandev causes a scare at the back as he plays a one-two with Ilco Naumoski and drills a shot into the side-netting

Rooney again comes deep and spins before delivering a 40-yard pass which almost plays Crouch in down the right

Neville feeds Steven Gerrard but his near post cross looking for Rooney is hooked clear

Macedonia look comfortable on the ball which is more than can be said for England's last home opponents Andorra

Frank Lampard is given time and space 30 yards from goal but his low shot is blocked by the first defender

Crouch gets up in the box but can't make contact with a high cross and Jane Nikoloski pounces on the loose ball

Rooney comes deep to get the ball and delights the crowd with a neat side-step - that's a welcome sight from the out-of-form Manchester United man

Peter Crouch is brought down early on as Macedonia fly into the opening tackles

England start the game on a damp afternoon in Manchester

Michael Carrick starts his first game under Steve McClaren as a replacement for Owen Hargreaves in the centre of midfield

Rio Ferdinand has been ruled out with a back injury and has been replaced by Ledley King, while up front Wayne Rooney returns after his three-match suspension

England face FYR Macedonia in a Euro 2008 qualifier at Old Trafford this afternoon