Scotland v Norway: Injured Erling Haaland to miss final Euro 2024 qualifier

Erling Haaland scores for Norway against Scotland in June, 2023

Venue: Hampden Park, Glasgow Date: Sunday, 19 November Kick-off: 19:45 GMT
Coverage: Listen on BBC Radio Scotland Extra, live text on the BBC Sport website & app

Scotland head coach Steve Clarke admits “mixed feelings” over the absence of Norway striker Erling Haaland for Sunday’s Euro 2024 qualifier.

The Manchester City forward, 23, picked up an injury in Thursday’s friendly win against Faroe Islands.

Scotland and Spain have qualified for next summer’s finals in Germany and cannot be caught by third-place Norway.

“For the crowd, it would have been great to see a player of Haaland’s standard,” Clarke said.

“It would have been good for the defenders to test themselves against a top striker, but unfortunately he’s not fit.

“If it was a game that really meant something I’d probably be sitting here saying, ‘yeah, delighted he’s not playing’. But for the game tomorrow, it would be better I think if he played.”

The Norwegian Football Federation says Haaland’s ankle injury is “not serious” but that the game comes “a little too early” for him.

Speaking after the squad arrived in Glasgow, Norway coach Stale Solbakken added: “It’s a big blow for any team, but we have played without him before sometimes with success, sometimes without success.

“It’s unfortunate for that for us now that he got a small knock on Thursday. It’s his movement in the foot is his problem, it’s not a serious injury. I haven’t spoken to Man City, maybe he has. It’s not a career-threatening injury.”

Scotland beat Norway 2-1 in Oslo and trail Group A leaders Spain by two points going into the final round of games. Spain host Georgia on Sunday while the Scots and Norwegians play at Hampden.

Georgia led Scotland twice but ultimately in Thursday’s penultimate qualifier, while Spain beat Cyprus. Sunday’s results will have a say in which seeding pot – two or three – Scotland feature in for the final.

“I haven’t looked [at the seeding pots issue]. It doesn’t concern me. The main objective was to be there,” Clarke added.

“Pot two, pot three – it’s all speculation because you don’t know how the other games are going to pan out. So, we’ll go out, we’ll do our best to win the game and then we’ll decide after that whether we want to be in pot two or pot three.”

Team news

Billy Gilmour and Ryan Christie only played the opening 45 minutes in Tbilisi. Substitute Kenny McLean set up Scott McTominay’s first equaliser with replacement Lawrence Shankland heading the second.

Norway will not call up a replacement for Haaland, who has 27 goals in 29 senior international appearances, including one against Scotland in June.

The visitors will also be without Arsenal playmaker Martin Odegaard, Sevilla goalkeeper Orjan Nyland, FC Copenhagen defender Birger Meling and Villarreal forward Alexander Sorloth.