ROBERT Snodgrass last night insisted Scotland can still secure automatic qualification for the World Cup finals in Russia next year – if they defeat England at Hampden on Saturday.
The national team’s prospects of reaching their first major tournament since France ‘98 aren’t looking particularly promising at the halfway stage.
Gordon Strachan’s side is currently languishing in fourth spot in Group F following defeats to Slovakia and England away and a draw against Lithuania at home.
Even making the second round play-offs is no certainty as only the eight best-placed runners-up out of the nine Uefa qualifying groups go forward into those matches.
However, a triumph over the section leaders in Glasgow this weekend would put them just three points off top spot with four games remaining.
Snodgrass, the West Ham player who is a strong contender to start out wide for Strachan’s men, hasn’t ruled out clinching an automatic spot at Russia 2018.
“A win would give everyone the belief again that we are serious contenders,” he said. “We need to focus on group position and we need to get the win for that reason. It is all about qualifying.
“You saw against England (at Wembley in November) that we had a lot of chances and if we didn’t believe we would never have got those chances.
“We have always believed we could go for automatic, but when you take hits and have to take a step back you then need to try and take two forward.”
Snodgrass added: “I think we should be confident after the last performance against Slovenia back in March, when I thought we were brilliant.
“We needed Chris (Martin) to pop up in the last couple of minutes with the winner, but we created a lot of chances in that game.
“It was probably the game where I felt we were right back to how we were when the manager first came in.”
Snodgrass felt that Scotland performed well in their last meeting with England in London – but were punished for failing to capitalise on the scoring opportunities which they created.
He has stressed to his team mates that they have to be ruthless up front at Hampden on Saturday if they want to record a famous triumph over Gareth Southgate’s side.
“It was shocking, what happened down there, to be quite honest,” he said. “There were probably only three moments and a three-minute difference between the teams.
“However, that’s why these lads (England) are at the top at every level and in every position because they are guys who can score goals at any minute. But they can be got at. Had we taken our chances we could have been victorious at Wembley.”
Snodgrass has played in the Premier League down south with Hull City and West Ham, who he joined in a £10.2 million transfer back in January, this season and will have no qualms about facing the likes of Gary Cahill or Kyle Walker.
“I have never had the feeling of being ‘feart’ of this player or that player. I look forward to it more than anything.”
However, the 29-year-old dismissed suggestions that the Scotland players would be more up for the game than their opponents and believes they will have to match their intensity in order to triumph on Saturday.
“I know people in their camp and they have been doing a bit of team bonding, assault courses and everything, so they will be ready for the game,” he said. “They want to beat Scotland as much as we want to beat England and that is why we have to be right up for it.”
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