Kazakhstan vs Scotland: Team news, squad & preview

Alex McLeish's side may be guaranteed a shot at the play-offs but will still want to progress on their own terms to next year's tournament

Scotland will look to take the momentum of their Nations League promotion through to the European Championships next year as they begin their qualification campaign with a trip to Kazakhstan.

Alex McLeish's visitors are nominally the third seeds in Group I behind Belgium and Russia, but at the very least are still guarenteed a spot in the play-offs thanks to their exploits at the end of 2018.

Having not qualified for a major tournament since the 1998 World Cup in France, McLeish knows he will have his work cut out, but if his side can take three points away from the Astana Arena, then they will have given themselves a real shot in the arm.

Michal Bilek's side have been in action more recently than their visitors, having faced Moldova last month - but with a gulf of 77 places in the FIFA World Rankings between the pair, they remain the outsiders even on home turf.

Squads & Team News

Michal Bilek should be able to recall Bauyrzhan Islamkhan after he did not start against Moldova in February but otherwise may keep faith with a very similar line-up.

There is no place in the squad for striker Oralkhan Omirtayev however, despite him netting the winner last time out.

Potential Kazakhstan starting XI: Nepohodov; Miroshnichenko, Erlanov, Malyi; Tungyshbayev, Fedin, Zhukov, Islamkhan; Murtazayev, Pertsukh, Turysbek.

Alex McLeish will be without the services of captain and Liverpool defender Andy Robertson due to an operation on an abscess in his mouth.

Kieran Tierney would have deputised but has been ruled out with a hip injury, with McLeish hinting that Shinnie will fill in instead.

Jordan Archer, Barry Bannan and Charlie Mulgrew have also pulled out of the squad, with the uncapped duo of Liam Kelly and Stuart Findlay added in their place.

Potential Scotland starting XI: Bain; Paterson, Bates, McKenna, Shinnie; Armstrong, McGregor, McTominay; Forrest, McBurnie, Fraser.

Betting & Match Odds

Scotland are the odds-on favourites at 4/5 according to bet365 . Kazakhstan are available at 15/4, while a draw is priced at 12/5.

Match Preview

Though they may have been absent from Russia for a World Cup to remember last year, Scotland still ended 2018 on a high to bolster their chances of securing a first major tournament in over two decades.

Alex McLeish, newly installed for his second spell in charge of the national side, took his team to the top of their group in Nations League over Israel and Albania, earning promotion from C to B ahead of the next edition.

Attention now turns squarely to securing a place at the 2020 European Championships, with the added safety cushion that should they fail to progress from Group I, they will have a second chance through the play-off route.

With Hampden Park in Glasgow set to be one of 12 host cities next year too, the incentive to secure a return to top-level international competition is big for Scotland, as they travel to Astana to begin their campaign against Kazakhstan.

Michal Bilek's side are ranked 77 places below their visitors and are indeed the underdogs on their own turf, but having beaten Moldova last month, will have the added advantage of cohesive match fitness over McLeish's team.

The visitors have also been left without captain Andy Robertson after the Liverpool defender was forced to have an operation on his mouth.

The 25-year-old has been a stand-out for both club and country this season and was one of the driving forces behind Scotland's successful Nations League campaign.

Others who have been forced to withdraw from the squad include Jordan Archer, Barry Bannan and Charlie Mulgrew, with Livingston goalkeeper Liam Kelly and Kilmarnock defender Stuart Findlay both drafted in to the travelling party.

Following their trip east, Scotland will return home via San Marino for their second qualifier, where they will expect to pick up another three points against the nation ranked bottom in the world.