Leighton Baines preferred to Ashley Cole for England?

Roy Hodgson will reportedly drop Ashley Cole in favour of Leighton Baines for England's World Cup qualifier against San Marino tonight.

Cole was included in the Three Lions squad despite being charged by the FA for his offensive tweet regarding their report on the John Terry racism trial.

However, in-form Everton left-back Baines will be selected ahead of the experienced Chelsea defender, who has accumulated 98 international caps, for the visit of the Group H minnows to Wembley, according to Sky Sports News.

Arsenal duo Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are expected to play on the flanks, with stand-in captain Wayne Rooney supporting Manchester United teammate Danny Welbeck, who is preferred to Jermain Defoe in attack.

Another United pair, Michael Carrick and Tom Cleverley, will play alongside each other in midfield, while Phil Jagielka and Gary Cahill form the central defensive partnership after Terry's England retirement.

With Glen Johnson suspended, Tottenham Hotspur right-back Kyle Walker is poised for his first competitive Three Lions start.

Possible England team: Hart; Walker, Cahill, Jagielka, Baines; Carrick, Cleverley; Walcott, Rooney, Oxlade-Chamberlain; Welbeck