Scott Murray's Blog, page 219

Premier League 2013-14: our writers' predictions for the new season

Guardian writers on the teams, players and managers to watch this year – and the things they are dreading the most

LEAGUE WINNERS

Michael Cox Manuel Pellegrini is an extremely intelligent manager, and Manchester City's transfer business has been excellent – not only have they recruited well, they've recruited early.

Dominic Fifield If Chelsea can secure another high-quality striker before the deadline then they could stamp some authority on the division, particularly with José Mourinho back in the English game. If not, Manchester City's quiet but impressive summer business may give them the edge.

Andy Hunter Manchester City. Bought well, appointed well and with Roberto Mancini gone a rich, experienced squad can go some way to suggesting that a managerial rift was behind last season's regression.

David Hytner Manchester United. It feels unfashionable to tip the defending champions but they were comfortably the best team last season, their squad remains virtually the same and have their rivals really caught up?

Jamie Jackson Chelsea. José Mourinho's got the Premier League winning T-shirt. No wonder Manchester United won't sell Wayne Rooney to him.

Amy Lawrence Eeny meeny miny Chelsea.

Scott Murray Manchester United are in situ and, retirement of the big man apart, have done the least amount of shoogling around.

Jacob Steinberg While Chelsea have failed to rectify a few weaknesses, a young side of outstanding potential could blossom under José Mourinho. His experience of winning trophies could be crucial against David Moyes and Manuel Pellegrini.

Daniel Taylor Manchester City. Really hard to call this season but they have had a good summer and, man for man, have the best squad.

Louise Taylor Tottenham. Europa League involvement and the potential loss of Gareth Bale are worries but Roberto Soldado and Paulinho look excellent signings and AVB is a class coach.

Paul Wilson I'm sticking with Manchester City over Chelsea, even though there is plenty of time for Wayne Rooney to switch clubs and make a real difference. Whatever Rooney ends up doing, one can't help but feel Manchester United will miss him.

PLAYER OF THE SEASON

MC Juan Mata will come close if José Mourinho gives him creative freedom – if not, I think this could be Sergio Agüero's year, barring injury.

DF Eden Hazard excelled over the second half of last season in particular and, having adjusted to the rigours of this league, should add more goals and assists to his armoury this time round.

AH Luis Suárez. Picks up his bottom lip, returns from suspension and inspires a Champions League push to attract interest from Barcelona or Real Madrid. But at which club?

DH Robin van Persie. The Dutchman is at the peak of his powers and, if he stays fit, he is a certainty to thrill and score goals.

JJ If he stays injury free, expect Jack Wilshere to tune up nicely for the World Cup, with his opening act ensuring England qualify.

AL Tempting to predict a tale of the unexpected: a José Mourinho-fuelled Fernando Torres or (whisper it) Luis Suárez ... I'll go for second season Eden Hazard.

SM Wayne Rooney … no, Robin van Persie.

JS I would say Gareth Bale but he may not be here by the end of the transfer window. Eden Hazard, then. He was in terrifying form by the end of last season.

DT Robin van Persie. Started the season just as he finished the last one: scoring goals. But I think Philippe Coutinho at Liverpool will be close.

LT Hatem Ben Arfa. Providing he stays fit, Ben Arfa belongs on a different planet to most mortals. Capable of eclipsing Rooney, Bale and even Suárez.

PW Where is Luis Suárez when you need him? How soon will we know whether Gareth Bale will be available? Someone at City or Chelsea would be a safer bet, maybe Fernandinho or Eden Hazard.

SIGNING OF THE SUMMER

MC Ricky van Wolfswinkel is the bigger name, but Leroy Fer may adapt more easily to English football at Norwich.

DF Paulinho's arrival at Tottenham, even at £17m, still feels like a coup given the calibre of sides that had pursued the Brazilian at Corinthians.

AH Roberto Soldado. The striker who can take Tottenham back into the Champions League and enhance André Villas-Boas's reputation in English football in the process.

DH Jesús Navas. The winger was an expensive acquisition from Sevilla but with his pace and skill, he will be a game-changer.

JJ Jesús Navas. Two years ago Manchester City won the title with scant pace, what may they do having acquired a Spanish speedster who brings "extra dimension" to mind?

AL Stevan Jovetic. What's not to look forward to in the shape of pure Balkan technique?

SM Wilfried Bony, the Michu de nos jours.

JS Roberto Soldado will show Emmanuel Adebayor what's up.

DT Nicolas Anelka. He's 34 now but he's looked sharp in pre-season, he's a free transfer and West Brom need a goalscorer without Romelu Lukaku and, probably, Peter Odemwingie.

LT Paulinho. A sort of Brazilian Frank Lampard, his ability to score freely from midfield promises to transform Spurs.

PW City seem to have made some good ones, but this is getting boring. People will start to talk. Let's say Gerard Deulofeu at Everton or Roberto Soldado at Spurs.

YOUNG PLAYER TO WATCH

MC Everton's Ross Barkley impressed me last season, and Roberto Martínez may give the imposing midfielder more playing time.

DF Jonathan Williams of Crystal Palace and Wales. He may only initially gain opportunities in cameos from the bench, but he is skilful, energetic and the next home grown talent to catch the eye at Selhurst Park.

AH Philippe Coutinho. Brendan Rodgers was talking tactically when he described the gifted Brazilian as "an 11 and a half" but that could have been his mark out of 10 at times last season.

DH Gedion Zelalem. The Arsenal midfielder is only 16 and he may only play in the Capital One Cup this season but his balance, technique and vision, which were evident during pre-season, mark him out as a special talent.

JJ Wilfried Zaha. Manchester United's new wingman loves a quick shoe shuffle and a cheeky step-over so stay tuned to see if he is a hit or a flop.

AL Philippe Coutinho. Glimpses of brilliance during his first six months at Liverpool, not described as the Brazilian Beardsley for nothing.

SM Jordan Ibe. One league game for Liverpool, one assist, the bizarro Stewart Downing.

JS Jonathan Williams – or Joniesta, as they call him at Crystal Palace – is tremendous and it turns out that West Ham's Ravel Morrison is very good at football. But I'm most excited by Gerard Deulofeu, a 19-year-old on loan at Everton from Barcelona. Quite the coup.

DT Ravel Morrison at West Ham. A gamble, perhaps, but probably should be in England's Under-21s already. He's had an impressive pre-season and showing new signs of maturity.

LT Philippe Coutinho. Still only 21, the Brazil and former Internazionale midfielder possesses the touch and vision to help restore Liverpool to prominence.

PW Gerard Deulofeu at Everton, Iago Aspas at Liverpool and Marc Muniesa at Stoke. In the latter's case, swapping Barcelona for the Britannia Stadium may be quite an eye-opener.

MANAGER TO WATCH

MC I found myself actively cheering on Aston Villa last season – Paul Lambert's focus upon youth is fascinating, and I hope he succeeds.

DF Mauricio Pochettino made such a positive impression over the latter part of last season, with a first full campaign in charge a new kind of challenge at a progressive and impressive club.

AH David Moyes. He's taken on the hardest job in English football, faces a gruelling start and will get no credit for grinding out wins. But he can deliver if he, and United, adapt to different expectations.

DH Paolo Di Canio. The Italian's zero tolerance quest to stamp his professionalism on the Sunderland dressing room is admirable and entertaining. His project has entered the next phase, after a busy summer on the market. There will be fireworks.

JJ David Moyes. The season's top story is how the Scot attempts the surely Sisyphean task of replacing Sir Alex Ferguson as the United manager.

AL Observing whether David Moyes can stride in those enormous boots is obvious but essential viewing. More from Michael Laudrup and Paolo Di Canio is also intriguing.

SM Arsène Wenger, for the masterclass in dignity he'll deliver when silverware yet again evades Arsenal, and folk have once more forgotten what a good man has done for them.

JS Everton may be a bit more chaotic defensively under Roberto Martínez but this is a man who won the FA Cup with Wigan. Wigan! And, so far, he's hung on to Marouane Fellaini and Leighton Baines.

DT Michael Laudrup. Apologies to all Swans, but another good season and it's easy to see him being lured to a bigger club.

LT Paolo Di Canio. The self-styled "revolutionary" is clever enough to confound his many critics and lead a reborn Sunderland into the top 10.

PW It has to be David Moyes, doesn't it? No one has a bigger job on his hands, and that includes José Mourinho and Arsène Wenger. Roberto Martínez is going to be interesting, one way or the other, at Everton, while it will not escape anyone's attention for very long that Ian Holloway is back.

RELEGATION CANDIDATES

MC Crystal Palace don't look to have the squad, Hull will struggle without further signings and I fear Paolo Di Canio's excellent short-term impact at Sunderland won't work over 38 games.

DF Sunderland, Norwich and Hull.

AH Crystal Palace, Sunderland and Stoke.

DH Crystal Palace, Hull and Cardiff. Sorry to be unoriginal but the more established 17 clubs have got that bit more.

AL Crystal Palace, Cardiff could struggle to do a Swansea, and could Mark Hughes's Stoke possibly get bogged down?

JJ Hull, West Brom and Stoke.

SM It would be lovely to see the Redbirds of Cardiff and Tigers O'Hull go down in ignominy, scrap the rebranding nonsense, finally show their fans some goddamn respect, then bounce back for a dignified, and thoroughly successful, tilt at the big league. A morality play for our times, that'd be.

JS I'd like Crystal Palace to stay up but I'm not sure if Marouane Chamakh is the man to inspire them. Similarly Hull look green and Mark Hughes has a tough job on his hands at Stoke.

DT Crystal Palace, Sunderland and Hull. However, I'd be worried, too, if I was a Newcastle fan (and to a lesser extent, Fulham, Norwich and Cardiff).

LT Crystal Palace, Hull and Fulham.

PW Fulham, Crystal Palace and Cardiff to go down; Hull, Norwich, Southampton and West Ham to be in the mix at some point.

MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO

MC A competitive title fight – Italy, Germany, Spain and France have odds-on favourites, but in England there are three teams with a roughly equal chance of triumphing.

DF A genuinely fresh and exciting feel to the elite, with new managers at the helm and the sense that this could be a truly competitive title race between three or four clubs.

DH The unpredictability of Premier League matches and the capacity for coupon-busting surprises. There is no more open top-level championship.

AH Seeing how David Moyes, José Mourinho and Manuel Pellegrini adapt to their new (or familiar) surroundings and pressures at the top of the table.

JJ How the top end of the league shakes down as Manchester United's David Moyes, Manchester City's Manuel Pellegrini and Chelsea's José Mourinho all take the reins at the big three.

AL We have a World Cup coming in Brazil, which I've looked forward to since they were named hosts in 2007.

SM A bench-emptying brawl in one of the big games, featuring a few clattering haymakers. It's statistically overdue by about two decades, and no I can't be bothered with pious handwringing, and yes I do miss George Graham's Arsenal.

JS Seeing if Ravel Morrison can build on the promise he's shown in pre-season. The boy can play.

DT Seeing who José Mourinho falls out with first. No way am I accepting this "mellow Mourinho" stuff (my money's on David Moyes, by the way).

LT Alan Pardew hopefully switching Newcastle's brilliant Italy international Davide Santon from left-back to his more natural right-back role.

PW An actual Premier League football game, and an end to players holding clubs to ransom over clauses in their own contracts. More 5.30pm kick-offs in South Wales.

LEAST LOOKING FORWARD TO

MC José Mourinho's usual antics. He's a fascinating, enormously successful coach, but his behaviour is often completely inexcusable.

DF The constant shots of Sir Alex Ferguson sitting grim-faced in the directors' box at Old Trafford whenever Manchester United concede a goal. Or enter stoppage time not ahead.

AH The inevitable "I was misquoted, I've always loved Liverpool" interview from Luis Suárez.

DH The remainder of the summer transfer window and the January transfer window. Please, somebody, make it stop.

JJ A season of hearing what astute pundits Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher are as they discourse on everything from false nines to life beyond the galaxy.

AL Fawning grown up men blushing at the mere presence of José Mourinho.

SM The inevitable stuck-pig whining when it becomes apparent that refereeing technology causes more arguments than it settles. Mistakes are a part of life, adults learn to deal with them.

JS People being OFFENDED by the ISSUES.

DT The Football Association's now-annual "England awards" night if the team don't qualify for the World Cup. Love a party with a happy atmosphere.

LT An almost inevitable clash between Alan Pardew and his, er controversial, director of football, Joe Kinnear at Newcastle.

PW The fallout and blame-game should England fail to qualify for the World Cup. Or if they qualify and then look as terrible in Brazil as they did in South Africa. Rio Ferdinand has a point about the national set-up – even the good players don't look as if they enjoy it any more.

GUARDIAN WRITERS' PREDICTED TABLE

1) Chelsea

2) Manchester City

3) Manchester United

4) Tottenham Hotspur

5) Arsenal

6) Liverpool

7) Swansea City

8) Everton

9) West Bromwich Albion

10) Aston Villa

11) West Ham United

12) Newcastle United

13) Fulham

14) Southampton

15) Norwich City

16) Sunderland

17) Stoke City

18) Cardiff City

19) Crystal Palace

20) Hull City

Premier LeagueMichael CoxDominic FifieldAndy HunterDavid HytnerJamie JacksonAmy LawrenceScott MurrayJacob SteinbergDaniel TaylorLouise TaylorPaul Wilson
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England v Scotland – as it happened | Scott Murray

Minute-by-minute report: Rickie Lambert was the hero as England came from behind to beat a spirited Scotland. Scott Murray was watching

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The Fiver: Teeming With Men In Tartan Skirts | Scott Murray

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THE FIVER DON'T NEED THIS PRESSURE ON

The streets of Soho were this afternoon teeming with men in tartan skirts. The Fiver naturally assumed there had simply been a fissure in the space-time continuum, a result of Luis Suarez performing so many 180-degree turns in quick succession on both hemispheres that the world had started rotating east to west and as a consequence it was 1980 again, the New Romantic movement was in full swing, and Spandau Ballet must be playing a gig tonight at the Blitz. But then we noticed none of the tartan-clad masses were wearing eyeliner, sweeping up thick lines of jazz salt from the covers of JG Ballard paperbacks, or injecting be-bop tincture into their eyeballs. So if they weren't New Romantics, who the hell were these people? And was it really not 1980?

Apparently not. Turns out the England football team are playing an exhibition match this evening against what appears to be some random members of the public from Scotland, an ersatz re-enactment of a once-popular sporting fixture that was contested way back in the last millennium. The fans are joining in the retro fun, too, dressing up for the day and enjoying a wee sing-song - coincidentally in the chant format popularised by Gary Kemp's aforementioned pop-funk pioneers - while taking attention-seeking dips in the Trafalgar Square fountains. All good, clean, wholesome fun, and a far cry from the joyous years when Scottish fans would make a pilgrimage down to England's capital principally to see if they could fill up the entire London Underground with boak.

Scotland's new-age support are also highly unlikely to re-stage perhaps the most famous scene in the entire history of the old fixture, the ripping down of the Wembley goalposts in 1977. But then that was in acknowledgement of a Scotland team, so good they were seriously expected to make progress at the following year's World Cup, totally outplaying England on their own patch. With the English having only lost once in their last 17 games, and Scotland recently coming off second best in a double-header against Wales, such crossbar-bothering celebratory capers are unlikely to be encouraged tonight. Even the loss to hot-favourites England of Michael Carrick, who has an eye infection that suggests David Moyes is arguably even better at making up ludicrous excuses to international managers than Sir Alex Ferguson ever was, shouldn't weaken a midfield expected to be built around Steven Gerrard and Jack Wilshere.

But Scottish supporters desirous of the chance to make off with a roll of turf should take succour from two things: form goes out of the window whenever England take on Scotland, and also the Fiver doesn't know what the hell it is talking about. The Scots might have been turned over twice recently by Gareth Bale +10, but they're also coming off the back of a stunning win in Croatia, and according to their manager Wee Man, are "feeling good". So good, in fact, that they couldn't be bothered to take a traditional training session at Wembley ahead of the game, deciding that they had "done enough" in preparation already and so "knocked that on the head". Another retro nod there, this time to the old-school carefree Scottish insouciance. That's something that's served them well in the past, for example when Jim Baxter played keepie uppie in 1967, taunting and humiliating the world champions who ... er ... ran up the other end and scored. Or how about when Frank Haffey sang happy songs in the Wembley bath after ... eh ... letting in nine goals. Actually, Scotland may be better served playing this one straight. Much as we like Wee Man's style, has anyone got Craig Levein's phone number?

LIVE ON BIG WEBSITE TONIGHT

Join Scott Murray from 7.30pm for MBM coverage of England 2-1 Scotland, and Barry Glendenning at the same time for Wales 0-0 Republic O'Ireland.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"For now, due to all of the people's affection, I will be staying" – Luis Suárez on why love, and love alone, may keep him at Anfield. For now.

FIVER LETTERS

"Let me guess. You had so many copies of Monday's Fiver left over that you decided to give it away free with Tuesday's as a sort of two-for-one promotional offer, forgetting it is free anyway and that it was not even a good edition on Monday. It has not aged well" – John Stainton (and 1,056 others).

"Obligatory letter about the resending of Monday's Fiver to our inboxes, complete with pithy retort about the hilarious consequences that ensued and/or humourous suggestion as to why we received two copies" – Matthew Sharpe.

"So, Wayne Rooney has been confiding in $tevie Mbe has he? What on earth would $tevie know about disrespecting his club by flirting with Chelsea to get more money? Oh" – Leighton Taylor.

"As sad as it is to see Scotland languishing at 50th in the world according to the Fifa rankings, two places below Burkina Faso and 12 places below Albania, I am quite confident that they are focusing on nurturing the success of young players and the future of Scottish fitb … ah" – Noble Francis.

"Perhaps self-proclaimed style god, #5 Rio Ferdinand had something like this little gem in mind for the rebranding of the England team (yesterday's Fiver), after it worked so well for USA! USA!! USA!!! before the 2002 World Cup" – Brent Lindsay.

"In watching NBC's Premier League Countdown this past Sunday, I was shocked to discover that the term 'w@nker' can be used on American television. With the Fiver's reputation as a bastion of moral corruption now in jeopardy from the forces of US degeneracy, what do you plan to do to keep the boat afloat?" – Ron Bermer.

"Re: your Liverpool rejects to West Ham XI (Fiver letters passim). Surely Liverpool and Hammers, er, legend Robbie Keane deserves an honourable mention? Particularly when you consider that, as a kid, he always dreamed of growing up to play for, etc and so on" – Paul Cantwell.

"Dear Fiver, it seems that Jonathan Wilson offers an answer in his article on Anzhi Makhachkalakalakalakalakala to your question posed on 6 August regarding the relation between a Wayne Rooney transfer request and the price of maize in South Sudan. Cheaper food prices after the end of the potash cartel mean Chelsea are likely to pick up bargain Samuel Eto'o rather than plump for Rooney. Wilson seems to have an answer to even the most obscure questions" – Paul Vickers.

• Send your letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Also, if you've nothing better to do, you can tweet the Fiver. Today's winner of our prizeless letter o' the day prize is: Leighton Taylor.

JOIN GUARDIAN SOULMATES

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BITS AND BOBS

Naughty step news: Stoke's Cameron Jerome has been fined £50,000 after he admitted breaching FA betting rules. And Metalist Kharkiv, who would sound like this if they were a noise, have been bundled out of Big Cup for links to match-fixing

The era-defining fixture that everyone was looking forward to – Hull Tigers v Fulham Jaguars – is on the back-burner. "We won't be becoming Fulham Jaguars," says new owned Shahid Khan. "Anything historical like that, I absolutely have no intention of messing with."

Chelsea's Brazilian nipper and Wensleydale fan Wallace has joined Internazionale on a season-long loan.

Liverpool are in for £30m Black Eyed Peas ace Willian, but Diego Costa's £22m Anfield move seems less imminent after he signed a long-term Atlético deal. "I'm delighted," he beamed. "It's a very special moment."

And Levski Sofia have sacked four players for being no good, including well-named Dutch defender Dustley Mulder. "We can't achieve with these players," roared chief suit Nasko Sirakov. "I gave them a chance. They didn't take it."

RECOMMENDED VIEWING

Amy Lawrence and Barry Glendenning give some hot chat on Stoke and Sunderland's chances for the coming season, respectively.

STILL WANT MORE?

The differences between flip-flops, sandals and shower shoes are discussed in ludicrous detail in the first Football Weekly podcast of the new season.

Daniel Taylor explains why selling Wayne Rooney to Chelsea is unthinkable for Manchester United.

Don't miss Italy v Argentina, France v Belgium and Portugal v Holland, spits Ian McCourt in his five things to watch out for tonight.

Paul Wilson gives the once-over on Stoke's chances in his Premier League preview …

… while Louise Taylor muses on the 'tangible excitement on Wearside' in her Sunderland preview.

And the Rumour Mill grows world-weary and hyphen-heavy with the transfer-merry-go-round-that-just-won't-spin.

GUARDIAN MASTERCLASSES

There are still places available for the next of Big Paper/Website's 'How to be a football journalist' masterclasses on 29 September. If you're interested, you can sign up here.

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MEANWHILE IN DERBY …Scott Murray
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England v Scotland: after 141 years of rivalry, clash must rediscover its edge

It used to be the best international fixture, but then again it used to be the only fixture. Now it must rediscover former glories

When you start at the very top, the only way to go is down. And the famous England-Scotland football fixture has been slowly but steadily losing its cachet for, ooh, nearly 141 years now. The first match between the countries – a goalless draw at the West of Scotland Cricket Club in Partick in November 1872 – was also the first international in football history, so by definition it was a summit meeting between the best teams in the world. Stovepipe hats off, everyone.

Sadly, the waters would quickly become muddied as other countries started playing too, although it is not pushing a particularly jingoistic agenda to suggest that, until the end of the 19th century, the winner of this grand old fixture could feasibly claim to be the world champions.

Scotland were the first to establish their dominance, winning eight out of nine matches between 1876 and 1884, their only mishap during that period a preposterous 5-4 defeat at the Kennington Oval in 1879, Scotland giving up a 4-1 lead and scoring the first international own goal while doing so. The turnaround was even more amazing given that Scotland had won the previous year's match 7-2, a score that remained England's worst drubbing until they popped over to Budapest in 1954 for their 7-1 humiliation at the hands of the Hungarians.

England dominated the 1890s, although that era technically began for them in 1888 with a 5-0 win at Hampden, their maiden victory in Glasgow. It was inspired by the captain, John Goodall, who would go on to be the leading scorer for Preston North End's league-winning Invincibles, and had two Scottish parents. The land of Goodall's father continued to ship goals, losing 4-1, 5-2 and 3-0 as England began to swan about, before the SFA finally began selecting Scottish players plying their trade in the English leagues in 1896.

This allowed them to pick Jimmy Cowan of Aston Villa, a powerhouse midfielder who led his club side to five league titles and two FA Cups. Cowan was the star man in Scotland's 2-1 win at Celtic Park that year, ending England's record run of 20 matches without defeat, stretching back to 1889. He then snuffed out the great Steve Bloomer as Scotland won at Crystal Palace in the following year's fixture, and these two performances earned him the captaincy in 1898. That honour did not go to plan, mainly because Cowan turned up flootered on booze, routinely firing simple passes into the affronted coupons of punters in the stands. England won 3-1, soberly reasserting their decade‑long supremacy.

Despite this rigorous commitment to athletic discipline, the fixture's status as a de facto world championship match could not last. By the 1920s and 30s, countries such as Spain and Austria were queuing up to give England and Scotland frightful belts across the chops, and while both countries entered a prolonged period of comforting denial regarding their true place in the global scheme of things – it wasn't until the late 1940s that the English and Scottish FAs accepted that the world is not flat, Uruguay was a thing, and Fifa was probably worth joining – they could not ignore the evidence of their diminished status at home.

Take the 1928 game at Wembley, famous as the greatest performance by Scotland. There is no denying the quality of a side boasting a forward line of Alex Jackson, Hughie Gallacher, Alex James and Alan Morton, one that could thrash a team containing Dixie Dean, on his way to 60 league goals that season, by five goals to one. But the match was effectively a play-off to avoid the wooden spoon in that year's Home Championship. For the rest of the century, the game became more about local pride than anything else.

Scotland refused to compete at the 1950 World Cup, despite qualifying, because they had lost at home to England and finished second in the Home Championship that year. England won the World Cup in 1966, but there is a sense that Sir Alf Ramsey – who once responded to a journalist's greeting of "Welcome to Scotland" with a fruity rasp of "You must be fuckin' jokin'" – was far more satisfied with his fast-emerging team's 4-3 win at Hampden just before the tournament, against a side with malevolent confidence-bothering disruption on their mind.

Ramsey apart, it is probably the case that the result has always meant a wee bit more to the Scots than the English, the David-Goliath dynamic and all that. Accordingly, despite England registering several mammoth humpings over the years – 7-2 in 1955, 5-0 at the SFA's centenary celebrations in 1973, nine past Frank Haffey in 1961 – it is a couple of Scotland wins that loom largest in the collective: Jim Baxter playing keepie-uppie in 1967, a landmark mickey-take that led to an England goal within 20 seconds, and the fans tearing down the Wembley goalposts 10 years later, then expelling so much celebratory booze from their persons on the tube home that the Bakerloo line became, for one special day only, the world's biggest catheter. But it was not all glamour, and the matches became increasingly grim through the 80s. England took the series lead for the first time in 1983 – a hell of an effort by the Scots, in retrospect – and from then on there was a nagging sense that the jig was up.

The fixture was put into cold storage in 1989, since when the teams have met three times in the European Championship, Gazza's Game the undoubted highlight. The last fixture of the three, 14 years ago at Wembley in the second leg of the Euro 2000 qualifiers, was marked by Don Hutchison wrapping up a futile win for Scotland. England marched on to a major tournament, albeit with a manager in Kevin Keegan who thought it tactically advantageous to play Sol Campbell at right-back. Nobody went home content that night.

Wednesday's game is a pre-season friendly contested by players freshly cashiered from the beach but, even so, we have come full circle: the only way from here is up.

EnglandScotlandFriendliesScott Murray
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