Scotland would love nothing better than to beat in this week’s inter friendly in Glasgow to mark the 150th anniversary between the Auld Enemy.
There’s good cause for that optimism in the bars around Hampden Park as the Tartan Army is gearing up for next ’s Euro 2024 finals in in style.
Scotland closed in on a place in their second straight European Championship following a fifth successive straight victory in the qualifiers when they won 3-0 in Cyprus on Friday.
That’s no mean feat as their Group A opponents include and Norway and Steve Clarke’s side are now unbeaten in 11 qualifiers, the longest run in Europe.
England, meanwhile, travel north of Hadrian’s Wall following in Poland and with question marks hanging over an attack which failed to click.
So, on the face of it, Scotland are a big price at 18/5 with Ladbrokes and Coral to gain their first victory over the Three Lions in six matches stretching back to November 1999.
They have 41 wins in football’s oldest international fixture with England victorious on 48 occasions while there have been 26 draws – including the last two times the Auld Enemy have met.
It finished 0-0 when the final whistle was blown at Wembley when England entertained Scotland in the European Championship in June 2021, and that is one of just three goalless stalemates since the first meeting in Glasgow in 1872 – which also finished without anyone hitting the net.
Before that there was the dramatic 2-2 encounter at Hampden Park in June 2017 when Harry Kane tucked away a late equaliser to break Scottish hearts.
Despite not playing well in Wroclaw on Saturday, the Three Lions coped with a passionate, partisan Ukrainian crowd and that should mean they are not intimidated by the traditionally hostile atmosphere at Hampden.
England captain Kane has made a fast start to life in the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich and played a superb pass for Kyle Walker to score the equaliser against Sergei Rebrov’s side.
He is 4/1 with bet365 to hit the opening goal and 13/10 with William Hill to score for the 59th time in an England shirt.
Scott McTominay has been finding life difficult at Manchester United but scored his sixth goal in five qualifiers in Cyprus and is 8/1 with Betfair to add to that tally. Another 2-2 draw appeals at 16/1 with Betfair.
• when winning the US Open women’s singles title on Saturday. Betway have installed the American as the 10/1 fourth favourite to follow her maiden grand slam success with victory at the Australian Open in January.
• France have been cut from 7/2 into 11/4 with numerous firms including William Hill, Coral and Ladbrokes to win the Rugby World Cup following their victory in Friday’s splendid opening match against New Zealand.
