Scotland v Slovenia: Team news, predictions & odds

The game kicks off at 1945 GMT at Hampden Park, live on Sky Sports 1 HD. 

Scotland v Slovenia: Our prediction

Click here for David John's betting preview 

Scotland v Slovenia: Manager quotes

Gordon Strachan (Scotland)

On the game against Slovenia: "There's no grey areas to it. It's must-win. That's dealing with reality. We have to win.

"But sometimes when you have a challenge like that in life, it brings the best out of you so we will have a team ready for that challenge of 'must win' tomorrow.

"What we don't have to do is win it in the first five or 10 minutes. You never know in big games when your opportunity will come along.

"However, what we do have to do is make opportunities and the players we pick tomorrow will make those opportunities."

On his squad: "It's great if you can bring along a group of lads that are always on form - but I don't think that ever happens where everyone who comes along to the squad is feeling good about themselves.

"That is what you need to suss sometimes, because four or five months is a long time in football and form can change rapidly.

"But what we have done is pick a team for tomorrow that is feeling good about themselves.

"It might be completely different from the England game but what I'm hoping is that I'll get the same commitment, same bravery on the ball. If we get that, then smashing." 

Scotland v Slovenia: Team news

Leigh Griffiths came off the bench for Scotland in the 1-1 draw against Canada but the rest of the Celtic contingent - Craig Gordon, Kieran Tierney, Scott Brown, Stuart Armstrong and James Forrest - were rested. 

That will not be the case against Slovenia on Sunday.

"There will be changes," assistant manager Mark McGhee said. 

"Some of the Celtic lads will come in. They come in with a great frame of mind, they are about to win the title again, so they are all buzzing.

"So we hope the rest of us that are selected can benefit from the energy, the enthusiasm and the positivity that surrounds that group. So that will overcome any negativity that might have come from the other night.

"Players that have been playing regularly in the Scotland team - Matt Ritchie, James Morrison, Scott Brown, James Forrest has played - these boys are now all available. So I'd imagine the manager will consider seriously including those boys. Whether it's them all, I don't know.

"Those players are playing in form, they are good players.

"We don't suffer when we've done well, thinking that it counts in the next game. We know we have to take one game at a time, and it's the same with a bad result. We have a bad result, we move on and we are ready for the next game, and that's the way it is.

"The manager will pick players that are in a positive frame of mind. We will play in the present and not worry about what's happened in the past or what the consequences are for that in the future." 

Scotland v Slovenia: Opta facts

These two nations have met three times on the international stage, with Scotland winning once and drawing the other two. 

Scotland’s victory came in a World Cup 2006 qualifier in October 2005, with current captain Darren Fletcher opening the scoring in a 3-0 win. 

Scotland have lost just one of last seven home qualifiers (W4 D2), losing 3-2 to current World Cup holders Germany in September 2015. 

However, Scotland have lost their last two competitive games by a 3-0 scoreline, both away to Slovakia and England. 

The Tartan Army have kept just one clean sheet in their last 10 competitive matches, a 6-0 win at Gibraltar.  

Slovenia are unbeaten in their last seven international games (W3 D4), their best run since November 2001 (eight games unbeaten). 

However, the Slovenians’ have only won one of their last seven international away matches (D4 L2), a 1-0 win in November against Malta. 

Matt Ritchie has found the net in two of his last three appearances at Hampden Park, scoring the only goal in a 1-0 v Denmark in Scotland’s last home win.  

Scotland v Slovenia: Sky Bet odds 

Scotland sit second bottom in Group F but are 13/10 favourites with Sky Bet to pick up a crucial three points at home to second-placed Slovenia. The visitors can be backed at 12/5 with a draw on offer at 2/1. Steven Naismith was on target for the hosts in their midweek friendly against Canada and he is 8/1 to open the scoring on this occasion and 3/1 in the anytime market.   

Click for Sky Bet's Scotland v Slovenia odds!