Gibraltar v Scotland: Prediction, Tips and Odds

Scotland will kickstart their preparations for Euro 2024 when they face Gibraltar in a friendly in Portugal on Monday evening.

Steve Clarke's side qualified for this summer's tournament in October with two games to spare after Spain beat Norway to guarantee Scotland a top-two spot in Group A.

However, Clarke's men have not won since September, and they will hope to use Monday's friendly as a catalyst for an improved summer.

Gibraltar v Scotland betting tips and predictions

Scotland to win and Under 4.5 goals - 8/11

If the formbook is anything to go by, then Monday's encounter is already a foregone conclusion.

Odds of 1/28 for an away win suggest Scotland should rack up the goals, just like they have done in their previous games against Gibraltar.

The two teams have met only twice before, with Scotland scoring six goals in both meetings in 2015. The two sides traded blows during qualifying for Euro 2016, with Scotland winning 6-1 at home, before securing a 6-0 victory in the second meeting.

While they should win comfortably at the Estadio Algarve, Scotland's preparations for Euro 2024 have been far from ideal.

Clarke's team won five successive Euro qualifiers - beating Spain 2-0 in that run - to finish second in Group A. However, they have since gone seven games without success, with a 4-0 defeat to the Netherlands the worst result in that sequence.

The Tartan Army have struggled defensively of late, conceding three goals to Norway, while Georgia also scored twice against them in their qualifying clash.

While keeping Gibraltar at bay should be no issue, there's unlikely to be a repeat of the scorelines from 2015.

Scotland's plans for Euro 2024 have suffered a blow after Lyndon Dykes was ruled out for the tournament after suffering an injury in training on Friday.

Clarke was already without Lewis Ferguson, Aaron Hickey and Nathan Patterson, and he is unlikely to want to risk his players on Monday. He will hope to use Monday's friendly as a chance to keep his players fit, so expect several changes throughout the encounter, which should slow down Scotland's momentum.

Lawrence Shankland to score anytime - 4/6

With Dykes out, Clarke must find a new striker to lead his team in Germany.

Dykes is not known for his prolific finishing, having scored nine in 36 caps, but he is usually crucial to everything Scotland do in attack.

The Queens Park Rangers man is known for his physical approach, so Hearts ace Lawrence Shankland will look to fill that void.

Shankland scored 21 goals and grabbed five assists in 32 appearances in the Scottish Premiership, while he finished the season with 31 strikes in 47 outings in all competitions.

The powerful forward scored in Hearts' final three games of the campaign, and he will look to punish Gibraltar's shaky backline.

Gibraltar conceded 20 goals in their final two qualifiers against France and Netherlands, with 14 of those coming against Didier Deschamps' side.

Shankland will use his strength to find space, and his recent form suggests he will fancy his chances from inside the box.

Che Adams to score anytime - 8/13

Shankland is unlikely to get 90 minutes of action, though, especially with Clarke looking to protect his players.

Southampton striker Adams has only just stopped celebrating his club's play-off final success against Leeds, and he should also be able to help his claims to start in Germany.

The former Birmingham City frontman has not been as prolific as Shankland, scoring 17 goals in 46 games this season.

However, while he is just as powerful on the ball, he offers more pace in the final third.

Clarke will want both strikers firing on all cylinders ahead of their flight to Germany, so handing the two players minutes in these friendlies will be invaluable.

Gibraltar may not be embarrassed in Portugal, but their defenders are unlikely to keep both Scotland forwards at bay as they desperately try to prove they deserve to lead the line for their country this summer.

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Gibraltar v Scotland odds

Gibraltar - 33/1
Draw - 20/1
Scotland - 1/28

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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.