O’Neill: Scotland game is crucial for Ireland Euro hopes

"I wouldn’t hide away from the fact that it’s a very important game for us. We’ve been beaten in Scotland and we’d like to win the return game, and it would give us a massive boost."

Martin O’Neill has left his Republic of Ireland players in little doubt that next weekend’s showdown with Scotland could go a long way towards deciding their Euro 2016 fate.

The Republic face Gordon Strachan’s men at the Aviva Stadium on June 13 having lost 1-0 in the reverse fixture in Glasgow in November last year, and a repeat would severely damage their hopes of closing the gap to Poland, Germany and the Scots, who are currently above them in Group D, from which two sides will qualify automatically.