Scotland should not be overawed - a massive night awaits in Norway, but Haaland 'will score soon'

In the city of Munch’s Scream, Scotland hope to compound Norway’s suffering and take a big step towards another major finals.

Norway will take inspiration from their star striker Erling Haaland.

A result in Oslo this evening against Stale Solbakken’s side will all but eliminate the hosts from the qualifying equation while keeping Scotland very much on course for Euro 2024 in Germany. It’s an appetising prospect near the conclusion of a long, so far successful international season that began with a resounding 3-0 win over Ukraine at Hampden in September. A peak was reached with a result that can be considered Clarke’s masterpiece, to date: the 2-0 win over Spain in March.

A tall, blond icon will be in Scotland’s thoughts. And this isn't solely a reference to Erling Haaland, who represents such a danger to the visitors’ hopes of taking something from tonight's crush Group A clash. It seems inconceivable that Clarke won’t mention Gordon McQueen in the dressing room before the match. Scotland are wearing black armbands in tribute to the legendary centre-half, who passed away at the age of 70 on Thursday.

Former Scotland team-mate Alan Rough has already urged Scotland to “win it for the big man”. McQueen actually scored the last of his five international goals in the stadium where tonight’s game is being played. He rose unchallenged at the near post to bullet John Robertson’s header off a post into the net in a European Championships qualifier in June 1979. In those days it was Scotland whose pre-match preparations were dominated by worries about the effect of post-match European Cup-winning celebrations on key men. Robertson and Kenny Burns had lifted the trophy with Nottingham Forest the previous week.

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - JUNE 16: Scotland manager Steve Clarke with his coaching staff during a Scotland training session.

McQueen's towering header was the last goal in a 4-0 win over Norway in the fierce heat of Oslo. Manager Jock Stein complained his players were at risk of suffering sunstroke in the first. Conditions are set to similarly uncomfortable this evening. The result was said to have kept Scotland’s hopes alive in the bid to reach the finals in Italy in 1980. But just one point from their next three fixtures proved a ruinous return. Scotland can’t qualify for next year’s finals tonight of course, but by taking all three points they can help nudge Norway out of contention.

Clarke has already pointed out that no manager to his knowledge has ever set out for a draw. He isn’t about to break the cycle by doing so now. Such an outcome would be acceptable of course, even if it's a happy accident. All three points, meanwhile, surely renders Norway’s challenge impotent.

That’s not a word often associated with the Leeds-born Haaland. Given the McQueen context, it would be cruel if someone hailing from the city where the Scot initially made his mark in the British game, following his breakthrough at St Mirren, should earn the headlines. However, there’s every chance that could happen.

Haaland is enduring the sort of run that would lead to other, less exceptional strikers being described as having lost their touch; just one goal in his last eight appearances. “That’s bad for Scotland,” noted Harald Brattbakk earlier this week while on a visit to Scotland. The former Celtic striker is of course someone who knows all about scoring – and sometimes not scoring – goals. On the subject of his compatriot, Brattbakk is certain of one thing: “He will score soon".

He continued. “I don’t know if it will be on Saturday. But if you see the games he has scored he has been set up properly all the time. He rarely scores goals on his own. He’s not like Lionel Messi, he doesn’t dribble six players. Sometimes he rampages through but that’s a different story because he has the advantage to run past them. He needs to be set up more, I think that will be the key element to be successful, to play him in good positions. I wouldn’t call Haaland the world’s best football player, but he is the world’s best striker and goal-getter at the moment, by far.”

Scotland must focus on stopping the supply chain. Arsenal's Martin Odegaard is a pivotal cog in the production line. Former Celtic playmaker Mohamed Elynounoussi is another. Norway have won just once in their last six outings and are now ranked 44 in the world. They have collected only one point from their opening two group games against Spain and Georgia. A nation has turned its lonely eyes to Haaland and co to end a major tournament exile stretching back long enough for Scotland to empathise. An unnerving sense of expectation is the unavoidable consequence of being able to call upon the world's best striker, who turns 23 next month.

"I don’t think the last games (v Spain and Georgia) are the issue," said Brattbakk. "I think the issue is the last time Norway were in a finals, which was the Euros in 2000. That’s 23 years ago and Haaland wasn’t even born when we last played in a finals. I read in the papers that he said that going through to the finals is something he needs to put on his CV. History is catching up with the team all the time because the longer it goes without qualifying, the more it will be mentioned. We haven’t had players like Odegaard. Martin is captaining Arsenal at age 24. Erling is only 22 and his goal average is crazy. That puts pressure on the Norway team to do well."

Scotland ought not to be overawed. Haaland and Odegaard are world-class operators but then Clarke can turn to stars of his own. Stickers bearing the image of Andy Robertson, Kieran Tierney and Scott McTominay will have been passed around playgrounds in the Premier League-obsessed Norway.

These players might know Scotland will stand on the brink of history against Georgia at Hampden on Tuesday providing they can string a third successive win together this evening. The men's team have never started a qualifying campaign with four straight victories. Achieving this for McQueen and country certainly has a ring to it.