Euro 2016 Qualifier Preview: Republic of Ireland -v- Scotland

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND

Martin O’Neil’s side will host neighbours Scotland in their Euro 2016 Qualifying campaign on Saturday evening (5pm kick off). The game at the Aviva Stadium is arguably the national team’s biggest game so far this campaign with the fixture dubbed as a must not lose.

The Irish team has prepared well with hard fought draws against Poland in their last qualifying match as well as England in last week’s friendly and will be desperate to build on this in order to place themselves right back in the thick of qualification.

No one from the Irish contingent is shying away from the sheer size of the game and manager Martin O’Neil is no different by announcing that the game is “important for the nation.”

With the Derryman making it clear the intentions of the Irish side come Saturday.

“I don't really know the approach of Scotland, but I know what our approach is – we're going to try and win the game,”

“I think Scotland will be attempting to try and win the game and naturally that's our own ambition."

Former League of Ireland star James McClean shared his views before the crunch fixture revealing that Martin O’Neil has told his players simply: “Just don’t get beat”.

The winger is optimistic that the Irish side can nick the win:

“We've had, bar the Scotland game, a bright start to the group and we want to build on that come Saturday,”

“They beat us in November and we didn't perform by no means in a tight, scrappy game – but if it's a tight, scrappy game on Saturday, hopefully we can nick this one.”

Martin O’Neil will be without Harry Arter who is struggling with both a hip and groin injury. The Irish camp will also be waiting on the fitness of Aiden McGeady who has been plagued by a hamstring injury. Captain Robbie Keane is also a doubt following two family bereavements this week with the Irish management leaving the decision of participation with the LA Galaxy striker.

SCOTLAND

Scotland will travel to Dublin on Saturday hoping for a repeat performance of last November at Celtic Park in which they overcame the Republic of Ireland to win 1-0. The Scottish side have been in great form winning four out of their last five games including the 6-1 win over Gibraltar in their last qualifying match.

When asked if he would try and play for the draw, the Scotland manager Gordon Strachan explained that his side will try and win the game and see where it takes them.

“I can’t remember any manager telling me - and I am going back 40 years - that this is the way you play for a draw,”

“I don’t think I have tried it myself. Try to win the game and see what happens after that,”

“Would I take a draw? There will be point added somewhere along the line but you don’t know the points total you have to achieve,”

“All we try to do is perform and we have done in every tie so far.”

The former Celtic boss is also very wary of the quality that the Irish side possesses:

“They have got loads of good players. If you look at their squad and picked a team, maybe all of them are Premier League players or have been top Premier League players, so I don’t think they are short of good players,”

“They could lose two or three players and still put in a terrific performance.”

Everton and Scotland star Steven Naismith believes the Scots can get something from the game and the way to do that is to treat it as a normal game:

“We’ve not seen this game as any different to the others to be honest. We know how quickly one performance can change the look of the group. 

“What we’ve done so far in the first half of the campaign we have worked so hard for. We believe that going into every game we can get something from it, so this match is no different.”

Gordon Strachan will have an almost full squad to select from with his only concern being with Celtic star Charlie Mulgrew who missed most of the season with the Scottish club however he did play the full 90 minutes in last week’s friendly with Qatar and could now be in contention.

Referee: Nicola Rizzoli (ITA).

MATCH STATS

Gordon Strachan’s Scotland side have failed to win away from home in this qualifying campaign so far.

Robbie Keane is the record goal scorer in European Championship Qualifying with 21 goals.

The Republic of Ireland have beat Scotland in 3 out of the last 5 games between the two although Scotland came out on top in their corresponding home fixture during this qualifying campaign.

BETTING

Republic of Ireland 11/8; Draw 21/10; Scotland 9/4

PREDICTION

Republic of Ireland 1-0 Scotland

Republic of Ireland

Injured: Harry Arter (Hip and Groin)

Doubtful: Robbie Keane (Family Bereavement), Aiden McGeady (Hamstring) 

Suspended: None.

Scotland

Injured: None.

Doubtful: Charlie Mulgrew.

Suspended: None.