The oldest football fixture in the history of the sport is set to come alive again in Friday's iconic match. With kick off scheduled for 7.45 PM, this will only be the 3rd time both sides have met in a World Cup qualifier. Wayne Rooney is set to captain England for his 119th international cap. Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane and Celtic captain Scott Brown are also in contention to start for their countries respectively.
'The Auld Enemy'
Famously dubbed the 'Auld Enemy' clash by the Scots, the first ever match between both countries took place in November 1872, culminating in a 0-0 draw at Hamilton Crescent in Glasgow.
scotland boss Gordon Strachan and his backroom team will be hoping for a positive result, as the ex-Celtic manager is currently under pressure from fans and the Scottish press following underwhelming performances and results in recent World Cup qualifiers. Despite coasting to a 5-1 victory against Malta, a 1-1 draw against Lithuania at Hampden was subsequently followed by a disappoint 3-0 loss against Slovakia in Trnava.
Gareth Southgate
According to several UK media sources, if England manage a win against Scotland tomorrow, Gareth Southgate will be rewarded with the England job on a full time permanent basis. The former Middlesbrough manager took over the job as caretaker boss following Sam Allardyce's dismissal in September, having managed the national team for just one match against Slovakia.
Commenting on the upcoming match, Southgate said:
"Some famous players before have worn this shirt. Everytime you play for England in a fixture like this you have the opportunity to make history".
Gordon Strachan had this to say, according to BBC Sport:
"At the moment we'll have a stronger midfield and that's a bonus for us because we'll need to be strong there, because we're going to play against a strong side".
The match is expected to be a 100,000 sellout, with 10,000 seats booked for the 'Tartan Army'. England currently top the group with 7 points, whereas Scotland currently sit 4th position with 4 points.
