The sign says it all as Steven Fletcher, Oli McBurnie, Andy Robertson and Johnny Russell emerge from the Hampden tunnel for Scotland’s final training session before tonight’s Nations League group decider with Israel.

Body language pleases boss after insisting lessons were learned from embarrassing 2-1 defeat in Haifa

Alex McLeish insists he can see confidence “in the eyes” of his Scotland players ahead of the make-or-break Nations League game against Israel at Hampden Park tonight.

Scotland’s 4-0 win over Albania in Shkoder on Saturday took them on to six points along with Israel.

However, the 2-1 victory claimed by Andreas Herzog’s men over Scotland in Haifa means only a win for the hosts in the final Group C1 fixture will secure a play-off spot for Euro 2020.

Speaking at the national stadium with his squad bolstered by the arrival of Sheffield United midfielder John Fleck on Sunday, McLeish said: “Confidence is very high. I can tell, I can feel it, I can see it in the eyes.

“We know that we have home advantage and a very good opportunity to do this. And these players can do this.

“It is a huge game for us. We took on a huge game at the weekend after the Israel disappointment and we absolutely nailed it. As I said, the players are showing the body language I would like to see from a team that is going into a very important game.”

Defender John Souttar was sent off in Haifa when Scotland let slip the lead to lose 2-1, a scoreline which was scant reflection of Israel’s superiority but McLeish insists lessons were learned.

The former Scotland defender said: “You have to learn from defeat, how it happened, what the opponent did to you and how. Nobody likes to lose.

“It makes you work even harder to put it right and we did that in the Albania game with a fantastic performance from the players. We also respect Israel, they’ve been on a good run of form.

“We feel very strong here at Hampden and we would love to have the fans right behind the players from the very first kick of the ball right through to the end.”

Much was made of the nine withdrawals from McLeish’s squad for the double-header but he insisted only three of them were set to play in Shkoder. Callum Paterson could be asked to play at right-back again tonight.

He said: “We have played a lot of games and used a lot of bodies in different permutations. It is an evolution and it came very good on Saturday night.

“But we had a pretty good idea of the team a month in advance, a few days after the Israel game and we only lost three players before we chose the final team.”

However, Cardiff striker Callum Paterson was played at right-back against Albania.

The former Hearts player had featured there for club and country in the past but admitted afterwards that it was, “one of my least favourite places to play.”

McLeish, though, said Paterson was being, “hard on himself.”

He said: “He is playing a different position at Cardiff and because of an emergency we asked him to go back to one of his old positions, back in the day with Hearts and he was part of a very successful team performance.

“There was a lot of really positive and good things he did the other night and we have no qualms about the big man.

“He is setting high standards and that is great. He is a player who wants to be the best he can be and I don’t mind that.”

It was the first call-up to the senior squad for 27-year-old Fleck, a former Scotland Under-21 player.

McLeish said: “He came in just last night and he trained today and he looked extremely comfortable.

“You have probably seen him in action over the last couple of years, his composure on the ball was excellent.”

Although Israel were dominant at Sammy Ofer Stadium, McLeish is wary tonight’s opponents could set up to frustrate his side.

He said: “They have been very positive and very strong going forward with the ball. They play very high wing backs and they were really committed in Israel.

“We probably disappointed a wee bit in not seeing that space in behind them and not going there much more. Whether they will come here and sit in we have to wait and see.”

Just over 20,000 supporters are expected at the national stadium but McLeish hopes a positive outcome can mark a big step in attracting the Tartan Army to home matches in greater numbers, with the Scottish FA having earlier this year agreed a deal to purchase Hampden when the existing lease ends in 2020.

McLeish added: “If that 20,000 or 25,000 make the same noise the 2,000 made in Albania I will be delighted.

“We have certainly given the nation a boost with the performance and result the other night.

“I met guys at the airport the other night and I told them to phone all their pals and get them to come and be the 12th man. I’m very confident about the players’ outcome wise if they perform to the levels of the other night. It’s not within their control who comes to the game.

“Does it give you extra energy if you have more loud, supportive fans? Yes, of course it does. We would love to see that at Hampden, it needs that.”

SNS. Alex McLeish has called on the Tartan Army to get behind his players in the winner-takes-all clash with Israel at Hampden.