Mark McGhee hoping old pal Robbie Keane doesn’t start

Scotland assistant boss Mark McGhee hopes to see his former star pupil Robbie Keane kept in reserve on Saturday —even if he feels the Ireland skipper is playing at the equivalent of League One level in America.

Just like Keane himself, McGhee was surprised Martin O’Neill opted to axe the player he handed his Wolves debut in 1997 when Scotland beat Ireland 1-0 last November.

Nothing less than victory will revive Ireland’s automatic qualification ambitions for France next year, meaning the imperative to deliver goals could favour Keane when it comes to O’Neill’s selection.