England currently lead Group H by a point ahead of their final two fixtures on Friday and Tuesday with their World Cup destiny firmly in their own hands.
Victories in the Wembley double-header will guarantee their place in Brazil next summer, but the danger of dropping points in either match will throw automatic qualification into serious doubt.
Roy Hodgson is confident in a England win for their vital World Cup qualifier against Montenegro.
Ukraine and Montenegro are just a point adrift, with Poland two further back, meaning Hodgson's men cannot relax as Ukraine play Poland at home on Friday before travelling to San Marino for their final qualifier, on the same night Montenegro face Moldova at home.
Four of the six nations in Group H can still qualify automatically for next year's World Cup in Brazil.
Two of them, England and Montenegro, will meet at Wembley on Friday night. The home side currently top the group with 16 points and if they emerge victorious, then it will end Montenegro's chances of finishing at the summit.
However, should Branko Brnovic's team win, then they would leapfrog the Three Lions and could even replace them at the top of the standings, depending on the Ukraine against Poland result.
Finishing second would likely pitch England into a two-legged play-off for the right to reach the World Cup, while the unthinkable prospect of third would mark the first time the 1966 winners have failed to qualify for the global showpiece since 1994.
England vs Montenegro October 11, 2013
England can point to their unbeaten record through qualification so far, but one concern is that their four victories have come against group minnows Moldova and San Marino, with their meetings against Ukraine (twice), Poland and Montenegro all ending in deadlock.
Hodgson predictably refused to reveal his team selection in his final pre-match press conference on Thursday, but one man who is certain to start is goalkeeper Joe Hart, who has the backing of the international manager despite his patchy club form for Manchester City
England: Hart; Walker, Cahill, Jagielka, Baines; Lampard, Gerrard, Milner, Wilshere; Rooney, Sturridge
Montenegro: Bozovic; Basa, Džudovic, Bozovic, Savic; Zverotic; Boskovic, Drincic, Krkotic; Jovetic; Vucinic
