Allan McGregor fit for Serbia after Besiktas clean sheet

The former Rangers goalkeeper was expected to miss out on Scotland’s opening World Cup qualifying match against Serbia at Hampden this Saturday after he suffered a groin injury during the friendly win over Australia at Easter Road last month.

However, he returned to training far quicker than expected and was on the bench for Besiktas last week. He was given the all-clear to play by club doctors and made his first start for his new club in Turkey in a 3-0 away win against Karabukspor at the weekend.

McGregor said: “It was nice to get a win and a clean sheet in my first game. I felt a bit rusty actually, but we got the win and that was the main thing. I can promise the Besiktas supporters I will be sharper and more fit for the next game we play.”

The news will come as a boost to Scotland supporters and manager Craig Levein. McGregor, 30, is now firmly established as the country’s No 1 and will win his 23rd cap against the Serbs.

Levein would otherwise have had a selection dilemma between Blackpool goalkeeper Matt Gilks – who came on as a sub to make his Scotland debut against the Socceroos – and  Cardiff City’s David Marshall.

Serbia named their squad for the match last night, and manager Sinisa Mihajlovic will have to do without the services of injured trio Zdravko Kuzmanovic of Stuttgart, Fenerbahce player Milos Krasic and Atalanta midfielder Ivan Radovanovic.

Mihajlovic, who has included three English-based players in Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic and Manchester City pair Matija Nastasic and Aleksandar Kolarov, said: “We have prepared well for what awaits us. Scotland’s system is either 4-4-1-1 or 4-1-4-1, with long balls and a high level of physical play.

“In my opinion we have the better team but we have to  approach the game with the right attitude.”