Ferguson return expected for Scotland

Walter Smith will welcome back skipper Barry Ferguson when the Scotland manager names his squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Italy and Norway tomorrow.

The Rangers captain missed the 2-2 draw with Austria last week as Smith left out those players involved in European games with their clubs for the friendly in Graz.

But he will return to the fold for the make-or-break double-header, despite sustaining an ankle injury in the 3-1 win over Celtic.

Smith’s squad will also be bolstered by Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher, who has started all three games of the Red Devils’ winning start to the season.

Everton pair David Weir and James McFadden will return after they helped their club to their first league win of the campaign at Bolton yesterday.

Weir will bring some stability to the back line which leaked late goals in Austria while McFadden has scored some important goals for his country.

Rangers new boy Ian Murray is expected to join team-mate Ferguson in the squad after an impressive start to the season while in-form Hearts midfielder Paul Hartley will return after pulling out of last week’s friendly through injury.

Steven Thompson also looks set to be named in the squad despite failing to start a game for the champions this term, along with Dundee United duo Steven Crawford and Lee Miller.

Hibernian’s young strike pair Garry O’Connor and Derek Riordan, who won his first cap as a substitute in Austria, also hope to be named among Scotland’s elite group.

Smith rates Celtic’s Craig Beattie and Shaun Maloney highly but they might have to settle for the under-21s.

The Scotland manager will also keep his faith in Leicester goalkeeper Robert Douglas following his last-gasp mistake in Graz, although number one Craig Gordon and David Marshall are safer options.

Smith is still without Everton defender Gary Naysmith, who has been sidelined with an ankle injury, Hibernian defender Gary Caldwell, who suffered a punctured lung and broken ribs in the Edinburgh derby, and Wigan midfielder Lee McCulloch, who has a knee problem.