World Cup

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World Cup | Qualifiers

Mar 26, 2013 at 8pm UK

Montenegro
1-1
England

Terry Butcher: 'San Marino win gives Roy Hodgson options'

By Paul Gorst, Reporter

Published: March 24 2013 | 08:32

Last updated: March 24 2013 | 08:45

Butcher: 'San Marino win gives Hodgson options'

Former England captain Terry Butcher believes that the side's emphatic 8-0 win over San Marino on Friday gives manager Roy Hodgson options ahead of the clash with Montenegro.

Former England captain Terry Butcher believes that the Three Lions' emphatic 8-0 win over San Marino on Friday will have given manager Roy Hodgson plenty of food for thought.

Hodgson's side romped to victory against the European minnows, and Butcher thinks that the display will have strengthened the claims for a starting place for several of the attacking players when they play Montenegro on Tuesday.

"I don't think the goalfest against San Marino will have affected Hodgson's thought process for Montenegro [too much], but it does give him more options going forward," Butcher wrote in his column in The Mirror.

"[Tom] Cleverley has started every game under Hodgson and will play in front [Steven] Gerrard and possibly Michael Carrick, although Frank Lampard looked as fresh as ever on Friday to give the coach a selection teaser.

"He would have liked to have had a more experienced defence to take to Podgorica. With one tricky game in Ukraine in September, England should qualify for Brazil, but they will have to be as ruthless in Podgorica as they were on Friday."

The win over San Marino was England's biggest for over 25 years.