CHARLIE Mulgrew is relishing his chance to play in Saturday’s crunch World Cup qualifier against England.

Blackburn Rovers star Mulgrew is set to line up in Gordon Strachan’s starting XI as the Scots bid to shock the Three Lions at Hampden Park.

And the 31-year-old, who made 30 appearances for Rovers last season, said Scotland would go into the derby with confidence despite winning just one of their past 10 meetings with England.

He said: “It is a huge challenge ahead, England are a great team and we will be massive underdogs.

“They are a top side. Every one of their players are world class and it is going to be difficult for us, but we are up for it and we will be ready for it when the game comes.

“I think everyone in the squad has confidence in their ability and that shows out there in training.

“The standard is very high, the tempo is very high. Everyone is buzzing. It is going to be a very difficult game, but it is one as a player you want to be involved in.”

Scotland’s last win over England came in a play-off for the European Championships in 1999 when they won 1-0 at Wembley but it was not enough to overturn a 2-0 first leg deficit and it was the Three Lions who qualified.

With England four points clear at the top of the group this time around, and six clear of fourth placed Scots, a defeat for Mulgrew and Co would seriously dent their chances of a top two finish and a shot at reaching the World Cup in Russia next summer.

But the Rovers man says the squad have learned the lessons of a 3-0 defeat earlier in the campaign.

He added: “In the last game (at Wembley) we played really well. It was 3-0 but if you watch it properly we were very unlucky.

“But of course we’d rather win 3-0 and have a lesser performance. It’s all about winning the game. We’ll be doing everything we can to do that.

“I remember Don Hutchison scoring at Wembley (in 1999) and I remember Euro 96 with Gazza (Paul Gascoigne) scoring that goal and doing the celebration.

“It is something I have grown up thinking about, playing in these type of games. You probably never think it is going to happen, but I am delighted to be here and have a chance of being involved.”