Roy Hodgson is unlikely to use Michael Carrick at centre-half when England take on San Marino in their World Cup qualifier on Friday night.
There were suggestions Hodgson might ask the Manchester United midfielder to drop back into defence for the Group H game in the wake of Rio Ferdinand's withdrawal.
But the England manager still has four centre-halves at his disposal - among them Carrick's Old Trafford team-mate Chris Smalling.
And he made it clear at a pre-match press conference his specialist defenders have more than enough to cope with opponents who have scored just once in their last 24 qualifying matches.
"I'd be loath to start using someone like Michael Carrick," Hodgson said. "It would be enormously harsh on the four centre-halves we've got here."
That means a choice between Smalling, Steven Caulker, Joleon Lescott and uncapped Steven Taylor.
Lescott - along with Ashley Cole, James Milner and Jermain Defoe - is one of four players in the squad one booking away from sitting out next week's potentially decisive game in Montenegro.
