DOUBLE DELIGHT
Snodgrass and Brown passed fit for Scotland
Scotland manager Gordon Strachan was last night given a double boost ahead of Friday’s do-or-die Wembley mission with the news that key midfielders Scott Brown and Robert Snodgrass are both fit and available for selection.
the celtic skipper, who has come out of international retirement in order to face Gareth Southgate’s side, hobbled off during his team’s 3-0 win over Inverness caley thistle on Saturday but Sportsmail understands he has recovered sufficiently to take part in the crucial Group F clash.
Snodgrass, meanwhile, played his way into Wembley contention with a starring role in Hull’s surprise 2-1 victory over Southampton yesterday.
the winger looked set to miss the auld Enemy clash when he injured his ankle ligaments against Stoke last month. the former livingston player’s
inclusion in Strachan’s squad defied the predicted timeframe for his recovery and his display from the bench in yesterday’s win over Saints suggested Strachan should have no fears about starting him on Friday. A replacement for Will Keane, Snodgrass swept home his fourth goal of the season before teeing up defender Michael Dawson for what proved to be the Tigers’ winner. Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers had previously cast doubt on Brown’s international involvement saying: ‘When Scott (below) came off he said his foot was numb, so I think he’s taken a fair whack because he doesn’t come off easily.’ Strachan will also be able to call upon skipper Darren Fletcher, after he came through West Brom’s 2-1 win at Leicester yesterday unscathed. James Morrison, another player in contention to start at Wembley, scored the Baggies’ first goal as they defeated the defending Premier League champions. Elsewhere, Lee Wallace came through Rangers’ 1-1 draw at Ross County injury-free with Stephen Kingsley — his rival for the left-back slot — also getting 90 minutes in Swansea’s 3-1 defeat at home to Manchester United. Oliver Burke appeared as a 69th-minute substitute as RB Leipzig beat Mainz 3-1 to go behind Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich on goal difference.