One of the oldest international rivalries takes place on Friday, with both nations desperately in need of a morale boosting win.
Paul Merson has told Sky Sports that he expects England to cruise to a comfortable win against Scotland in Friday’s emotionally charged World Cup Qualifier at Wembley.
The build-up to the high-profile clash has centred on the dugout rather than the pitch, with the chances of England interim boss Gareth Southgate being given the job full time resting heavily on the result, while Scotland manager Gordon Strachan has been tipped for the sack if he is to follow up a dismal start to the qualification campaign with defeat in London.
Scotland emerged victorious in the last competitive international between the rival nations, Don Hutchison’s solo goal sealing a famous 1-0 triumph at Wembley seventeen years ago to the month, but Merson says he cannot envisage a repeat scoreline this time around provided England make a fast start in front of their home supporters.
“England need to score early and I’d love them to go out and play at a really high tempo like a Premier League match,” he told Sky Sports.
“People love how quick and fast the Premier League is, but when they play for England everyone starts playing it across the back and for 10 minutes no-one does anything.
“If England go out and suffocate Scotland, get in their faces and play in their half, I expect us to win 3-0.”
The Three Lions triumphed in their last two meetings with the ‘Auld Enemy’, a well-taken Wayne Rooney double headlining an impressive England performance as they won 3-1 in Glasgow in the most recent clash two years ago.
However, England, not to mention Rooney, are an entirely different proposition these days, with three exceedingly insipid performances against Slovakia, Malta and Slovenia casting doubt on any notion that they could simply ‘turn it on’ against Strachan’s visitors.
Yet, only a victory will lift some of the gloom that has enveloped an annus horribilis like no other.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
