Wembley chance for Noble

Mark Noble could be representing England at Wembley in September after it was announced England will play their final 2009 European Under-21 Championship qualifier at the stadium.

The 21-year-old midfielder , with ten caps and three goals, has been a mainstay of Stuart Pearce's side as they look to qualify for next summer's tournament in Sweden. With six wins and a draw, the Young Lions are almost certain to qualify from Group 3 even before Portugal visit the rebuilt venue for the high-profile fixture on Friday 5 September. The Portuguese are six points adrift with two games to play.

Speaking to theFA.com, England Under-21 coach Stuart Pearce said: "We want the transition to the seniors to be as smooth as possible. Taking this game to Wembley is part of that. A lot of the Under-21 players will never have played there before and the experience of playing this game there will help them as and when they step up to the seniors."

In the UEFA qualifying competition, only the ten group winners are certain to reach the 14-team play-offs, with the four best runners-up also making it through to the two-legged ties set for October. Noble, who was part of the squad that reached the 2007 U21 Euro semi-finals, should also be involved when the U21s warm-up with a friendly against Slovenia on Tuesday 19 August in Hull. England could also boast James Tomkins and Freddie Sears in their ranks - especially if the duo impress for the U19s at July's European U19 Championship.