McGhee: Scotland don't need reminder of age-old rivalry with England

Mark McGhee insists no one in the Scotland camp needs to be reminded of the age-old rivalry with England.

Three Lions' interim manager Gareth Southgate is ready to give a crash course of the football history between the two countries to any English players requiring one ahead of the 2018 World Cup qualifier at Wembley on Friday night.

However, Scotland's assistant boss is confident that every one of Gordon Strachan's squad will need no such tuition.

Speaking at the Scots' Mar Hall Hotel base on the outskirts of Glasgow, he said: "Anyone who needs reminding of that maybe shouldn't be here.

"Every single one of the players know that. A lot of these boys play in England.

"I think it was Graeme Souness saying recently that don't be mistaken, the English players want to win this game just as much as the Scottish players and English supporters want to win just as much as the Scottish supporters.

"So I don't think either group of supporters or players need reminding but of course if the manager chooses to take that line that will be up to him.

"But I think we all know the rivalry, the history and we are all prepared for that part of the event.''

As well as taking inspiration from Andy Murray, who advanced at the weekend to become the number one tennis player in the world, McGhee will use the last time Scotland played England in a competitive game in London - in November 1999 - as an example of how a victory against the odds can be achieved.

Scotland lost 2-0 to England at Hampden in the first-leg of their Euro 2000 play-off and were written off for the return match at Wembley.

However, a goal from Don Hutchison gave Scotland a well-deserved win albeit it was not enough to prevent them going out.

The Motherwell boss said: "We will tap into the idea that underdogs can win.

"Any of the things that can encourage positivity and belief we will use.

"Underdogs in football consistently do have their day so we have to believe that and that certainly would be an example of when that happened.''

A 1-1 draw against Lithuania at home and a 3-0 defeat in Slovakia last month left Scotland in fourth place in Group F with four points from three games but McGhee insists the squad is ready to make amends.

The former Scotland striker said: "I understand why there was negativity but what we have met is a group of players as far as I can sense who have an absolute appetite for this game.

"They want to bounce back from the disappointment of those two results.''