Time to bench Robbie

Robbie Keane can still have an impact as a sub but it would be better for Shane Long or Jon Walters to start up front at Celtic Park tonight. Martin O’Neill may be ready to make that big call.

Tonight’s match in Glasgow will tell us a lot about how far these two teams have come under their respective managers.

Gordon Strachan has done a really fine job with Scotland, getting them to play good football with a confidence and a belief that had all but disappeared over previous campaigns. They now have hope and maybe even an expectation of qualifying, especially with the new format. But, of course, that only makes tonight even more of an acid test for Gordon and his team.