Johnson's injury leaves England path clear for Crouch

With Wayne Rooney assured that his temporary malaise with Manchester United would not cost him an immediate return to the England fold, the manager, Steve McClaren, was left with one decision on his forward line to face Macedonia this Saturday. Yet that now appears to have been taken for him after Andrew Johnson withdrew from the squad for the impending European Championship qualifiers and left the path clear for Peter Crouch.

McClaren has watched Johnson several times since the striker's £8.6m summer move to Everton from Crystal Palace and had been giving serious consideration to playing the Premiership's leading goalscorer alongside Rooney at Old Trafford. But yesterday he was forced to call on Darren Bent from the England Under-21 squad to replace Johnson after the six-goal forward withdrew from the Macedonia and Croatia games with a hamstring strain.

The 25-year-old was substituted in the final minute of Everton's 1-1 draw with Manchester City on Saturday, having complained of discomfort in his hamstring, although the reasons for his withdrawal were as much tactical as medical, and a scan on Sunday confirmed he had suffered a strain.

"It's a blow because he's made a massive impact already with Everton this season and I've been hugely impressed by him," McClaren said. "He's got such a great attitude and is a constant threat to any defence. He was certainly knocking very hard on the door for a place in the team."

Charlton's Bent will now have an opportunity to impress the England management when the squad gather in Manchester today, having netted five times for the Premiership's bottom club this season. "He's already got experience of being involved in several senior squads and he's a player with excellent ability and a real goal threat," McClaren said , although it is Crouch and not Jermain Defoe who is favourite to prosper from Johnson's absence.

On recent form the Liverpool striker would appear a certainty to start in the third qualifying game in Group E, which England top with six points from wins over Andorra and Macedonia. Crouch has scored 11 goals in 14 appearances for his country, but has started only once in the past six games for his club.