World champions Italy will also be in action and should they complete the near-formality of beating the Faroe Islands, they could jump from fourth to first in the tight group.

The big losers could be Scotland, who have the day off as the other teams catch up their game in hand.

In group E, Russia, Croatia and Israel could heap more pressure and misery on England boss Steve McClaren if they all win while England play host to Brazil in a friendly at the new Wembley stadium.

Spain are also under pressure as they bid to keep up with Sweden and Northern Ireland in group F, but they face a potential banana skin in a trip to Riga to play Latvia.

But the main action should come at the Stade de France as France host Ukraine.

France's hopes have been boosted by injuries to three Ukrainian strikers, Chelsea's Andrey Shevchenko and Dynamo Kiev pair Sergey Rebrov and Artem Milevski, which could see the French backline in for a quiet night.

Those absences have left Ukraine boss Oleg Blokhine more than a little frustrated.

"We're going to have to do without three of our key players," he moaned. "Our main striker left, Andrey Voronin (of Bayer Leverkusen), is lacking match practice because the German season finished two weeks ago."

Another problem facing Blokhine is that many of his players lost their places in the starting line-ups at their club sides.

Spartak Moscow midfielder Maxim Kalinchenko and Shakhtar Donetsk forwards Alexei Bielik and Andrey Vorobei all lost their starting berths for their clubs.

"I don't understand what's going on with these players," moaned Blokhine. "Defenders Dmitry Chigrinski and Alexander Kucher (both at Shakhtar) were also relegated to the substitutes bench. It's very worrying."

By contrast, France's biggest worry will probably be the treatment Marseille forward Djibril Cisse receives if he is picked.

Cisse has been jeered on his last two appearances at the Stade de France for the national team having been involved in a clash in a club game that saw Paris St Germain's Uruguayan defender Mario Yepes injured for much of the season.

Cisse, though, is determined not to let the boo-boys affect his play.

"I've always had the desire to succeed and show people that I know how to play football and score goals," he said.

"I was so annoyed (by the jeers), so disappointed, that I had to show them. I had to prove to myself as well that I could still play at that level."

If the scores remain level at the end of play at the Stade de France, a big victory for Italy in the Faroes, by at least six goals, could see them go top of the group.

They will be without defender Barcelona Gianluca Zambrotta and AC Milan midfielder Massimo Ambrosini, though.

They should still have easily enough to overcome one of the continent's minnows.

In group D Germany and the Czech Republic will continue their battle for top spot. The pair are level on 13 points but Germany have the edge as they have a game in hand.

They also have the easier game with a home match against group whipping boys San Marino, who they have already thrashed 13-0 in their away match.

The Czechs will have to contend with Ryan Giggs playing an emotional last international match for Wales in a packed stadium in Cardiff.