22.03. (Fri) 21:00 France - Georgia

PROBABLE LINEUPS

FRANCE
Lloris
Jallet, Koscielny, Sakho, Evra
Valbuena, Matuidi, Cabaye, Ribery
Benzema, Giroud

GEORGIA
Revishvili
Kashia, Amisulashvili, Khizanishvili
Okriashvili, Targamadze
Kankava, Daushvili, Grigalashvili
Ananidze, Devdariani

France coach Didier Deschamps is set to tinker with his side against Georgia on Friday evening, ahead of the potential group decider against world champions Spain in Paris next week.

The former Marseille boss hinted earlier in the week he may try a 4-4-2 formation, with Karim Benzema and Arsenal's Olivier Giroud both starting against the Eastern European outfit.

With Mathieu Debuchy pulling out of the squad after limping off in Newcastle's game against Wigan on Sunday, Deschamps has called upon a familiar face in the form of Rod Fanni. The Marseille defender could be in line for a start should Paris Saint-Germain's Christophe Jallet fail to make the grade.

Young talents Paul Pogba and Raphael Varane are set to be benched, with Deschamps preferring the tried and tested duo of Laurent Koscielny and Mamadou Sakho in defence.

Georgia coach Temuri Ketsbaia is also without a few players due to injury. Defender Akaki Khubutia failed to join the side to train on Wednesday at Stade Charlety due to travel issues, while Zurab Khizanishvili and Jano Ananidze will be known faces to many European football aficionados.

DID YOU KNOW?

France have won two out of their three World Cup qualifiers in the 2014 cycle, dropping points only to Spain.

Les Bleus lost their last fixture to Germany, in an international friendly in February.

The two nations have only met twice before, in qualification for Euro 2008. France won 1-0 in Paris, before a 3-0 win in Tbilisi .

Georgia sit in third place in Group I of World Cup qualifying. A win against France would take them level on points.

The Eastern European side's win over Albania last month was their first in five games.

Georgia occupy 69th position in the world rankings, while Levan Kobiashvili heads the all-time Georgia caps tally with 100.

Prediction
While Deschamps' side faltered in last month's friendly against Germany, there were plenty of positives, not least what the likes of Mathieu Valbuena and Blaise Matuidi bring to the international table. Georgia will put up resistance, and are a tough side, as Spain almost found out to their cost but the hosts should really wrap this one up.

Editor's Prediction
France 3-0 Georgia

22.03. (Fri) 20:45 Spain - Finland

PROBABLE LINEUPS

SPAIN
Valdes
Arbeloa, Pique, Ramos, Alba
Alonso, Busquets, Iniesta
Silva, Fabregas, Pedro

FINLAND
Hradecky
Raitala, Toivio, Moisander, Arkivuo
Ring, Sparv
R Eremenko, Hetemaj, Hamalainen
Pukki

Midfielder Xavi is struggling with a hamstring problem and is unlikely to feature in Spain's Group I World Cup qualifier against Finland at El Molinon.

Carles Puyol (knee) and Iker Casillas (hand) are out injured, while Fernando Torres and Javi Martinez have been omitted from the squad by coach Vicente del Bosque.

Cesc Fabregas is expected to start in a "false nine" role alongside Pedro and David Silva in attack.

Finland boss Mixu Paatelainen is without Alexei Eremenko, who is suspended after getting sent off in the 1-1 draw against Georgia.

Chievo's Perparim Hetemaj is likely to replace the Rubin Kazan playmaker in the starting line-up.

DID YOU KNOW?

Spain are on an 18-match unbeaten run (W14, D4) stretching back to November 2011.

La Roja have won three of their last four encounters with Finland.

If he plays, Sergio Ramos will be the eighth player to reach 100 appearances for Spain.

Finland have only won three of their last nine internationals (W3, D3, L3).

Suomi are ranked 87th in the world, having never qualified for a major tournament.

Finland's last win over Spain was a 2-0 success in a World Cup qualifier in June 1969.

Prediction
It is hard to see this being anything other than a home win for Spain, against a Finland side lacking in experience at the highest level. The hosts will be out to record a convincing win ahead of Tuesday's table-topping showdown with France in Paris.

Editor's Prediction
Spain 3-0 Finland

22.03. (Fri) 20:30 Netherlands - Estonia

PROBABLE LINEUPS

NETHERLANDS
Stekelenburg
Janmaat, De Vrij, Martins Indi, Blind
De Guzman, Sneijder, Strootman
Lens, Van Persie, Robben

ESTONIA
Pareiko
Jaager, Morozov, Klavan, Teniste
Puri, Vunk, Vassiljev, Kink
Lindpere
Oper

Louis van Gaal will be without Newcastle United goalkeeper Tim Krul due to physical problems, while Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is being plagued by a knee injury and is unavailable, too.

Roma shot-stopper Maarten Stekelenburg could return between the sticks again after missing Oranje's previous two games, while Van Gaal is likely to opt for a four-man defence consisting of promising youngsters who ply their trade in the Eredivisie.

Skipper Wesley Sneijder makes his comeback in midfield, with Robin van Persie leading the line in what promises to be a youthful-looking team.

Meanwhile, Estonia boss Tarmo Ruutli will have to make do without the likes of Taavi Rahn and Gert Kams due to injury.

Ruutli plans to field an experienced starting XI in Amsterdam, with talismanic striker Andres Oper expected to start as Estonia's lone front-man, with Joel Lindpere offering support from midfield.

DID YOU KNOW?

Netherlands are one of only two European teams that have yet to lose points in the qualification campaign for the 2014 World Cup, Russia being the other side.

Van Persie needs only two more goals to equal the legendary Johan Cruyff's record of 33 international strikes for Holland.

Feyenoord midfielder Tonny Vilhena was crowned European champion at Under-17 level less than a year ago, and could now make his debut at senior level.

Estonia have locked horns with Holland on two occasions so far, losing both at home and away in the qualification campaign for the 2002 World Cup.

The guests' all-time leading goalscorer Oper plied his trade in the Eredivisie from 2005 until 2009 at Roda before leaving for Shanghai Shenhua, only to return to Netherlands one year later at ADO Den Haag.

Estonia are one of 21 Uefa members who have never featured at a European Championship or a World Cup.

Prediction
The 2010 World Cup finalists will be desperate to maintain their perfect record, and there's little doubt that they have the individual quality to see off Estonia. Players such as Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben are still among the best in the world and will prove to be too much for the away side. Expect Oranje to cruise to a comfortable win and make it five wins from five in Group D.

Editor's Prediction
Netherlands 3-0 Estonia

22.03. (Fri) 19:00 Kazakhstan - Germany

PROBABLE LINEUPS

KAZAKHSTAN
Sidelnikov
Dmitrenko, Mukhtarov, Korobkin, Kirov
Nuserbaev, Bogdanov, Nurd'tov, Khairullin
Konysbaev
Gridin

GERMANY
Neuer
Lahm, Mertesacker, Boateng, Schmelzer
Khedira, Schweinsteiger
Muller, Ozil, Reus
Gomez

Germany will be without the services of two of their regular defenders for the trip to Astana, with both Mats Hummels and Holger Badstuber injured, leaving Per Mertesacker and Jerome Boateng to line up together at centre-back.

Both Bender twins have dropped out of the squad due to injury, but Sami Khedira is fit to line up alongside Bastian Schweinsteiger. Finally, Mario Gomez will start up front, but Mario Gotze could get a run out in a false nine role.

Meanwhile, Kazakhstan will be without the services of Marat Shakhmetov and Azat Nurgaliev from the side who faced Austria back in Ocober.

Marat Khairullin should replace the latter on the left-hand side of midfield, with either Pavel Shabalin or Tanat Nuserbaev filling in for the former on the right.

DID YOU KNOW?

Kazakhstan have won just two World Cup qualifying games since making the switch from the Asian Football Confederation to Uefa.

The Central Asian nation also faced the Nationalelf in Euro 2012 qualifying, losing 3-0 at home and 4-0 away.

Midfielder Heinrich Schmidtgal was born in the Soviet Union, but moved to Germany at the age of two, later electing to represent Kazakhstan.

Germany have lost just two World Cup qualifiers in their history, the last one coming against England in September 2001.

Lukas Podolski has scored just two international goals since his last trip to Astana in October 2010. Another two strikes would see him leapfrog Karl-Heinz Rummenigge in Germany's list of all-time top scorers.

A total of 140 places separate the Nationalelf and Kazakhstan in the Fifa ranking.

Prediction
Germany have have been forced into a couple of changes at the back, but Per Mertesacker and Jerome Boateng are hardly poor replacements, while going forward, they have enough firepower to see off anyone, let alone a team of little quality as Kazakhstan.

Editor's Prediction
Kazakhstan 0-4 Germany