Scotland v Iceland Tips: Fresh start for both but old habits persist | OneFootball

Scotland v IcelandFriday June 6th, 19:45 kick offLive on BBC One Scotland

For both teams this will be their first outing since suffering relegation in the Nations League. It's only natural therefore to view the week ahead as a fresh start for each, a chance to turn over a new leaf in preparation for their respective World Cup qualifying campaigns that kick off in September.

To that end, Steve Clarke has picked seven uncapped players for Friday evening and Monday's trip to Liechtenstein. It is debatable how many of them will start either fixture but it's still a glimpse into Scotland's future.

Iceland boss Arnar Gunnlaugsson meanwhile will relish the opportunity to make the side his own after being handed the gig just prior to an ill-fated Nations League Play-Off in March.

Here he can experiment but alas he must do so without his best player.

All the young dudes

Four of the seven uncapped players called up by Clarke are aged 22 or under and of these Motherwell's teenage prodigy Lennon Miller intrigues the most. The midfielder is an entertaining mash-up of self-confidence and ability.

His chances of starting at Hampden, however, are minimal, with Scotland strongest in the middle of the park. Indeed, of the seven it is Hibs' striker Kieron Bowie who is likeliest to feature, and perhaps not even in his most recognized position.

"Any time I watched the Under-21s, Kieron was one that caught my eye," Clarke stated last week. "And not always as a striker, sometimes playing off the left as a big, physical winger."

Bowie ended the season on a high, firing four in eight, and could get some joy down the flank where Iceland are at their weakest. They have conceded a handful of goals down their right in the past calendar year.

Go for Ferguson and fouls

Kenny McLean's omission offers up the prospect of an all-Serie A midfield for the Scots, with Scott McTominay playing advanced of Napoli team-mate Billy Gilmour who is set to be partnered alongside Bologna's Lewis Ferguson.

The 25-year-old's inclusion leads us to the fouls market with Ferguson transgressing three times in his last start for his country and 2.52 times per 90 for I Rossoblu.

He also has a canny knack for drawing fouls, doing so on four occasions on the final day of the Serie A season.

Scots to leave it late

Both for and against, there has been a definite trend for late goals in Scotland fixtures going right back to pre-Euros. Ten of their last 16 contests have seen goals scored beyond the 85th minute. A notable 27.5% of the last 40 goals in Scotland games have come in this slim timeframe.

For Iceland the opposite applies, Strákarnir Okkar tending to get their business done early. In four of their last five outings they have converted inside 25 minutes.

Iceland ahead on 20 mins offers up 7/1 but if we're going to take a punt in this area let's go with a bigger narrative.

Gud and bad

Being deprived of their young captain Orri Oskarsson is a big blow for Iceland and Gunnlaugsson, the 20-year-old forward scoring five in his last eight for his country.

By way of compensation, Albert Gudmundsson comes into this in decent form, assisting in his last appearance for Iceland and his last start for Fiorentina.

The attacking midfielder can also be relied upon for a shot or two, his accuracy impressing in Serie A with 68% of his efforts finding the target.

His discipline is not the greatest, picking up six cautions in his last 18 on the international stage, but this being a friendly steers us away from the cards market.

Now read Mike Norman's Ultimate Guide to FIFA Club World Cup 2025 here