CHRISTIAN Dailly is confident he and his Scotland team-mates can snuff out the threat of England strike duo Michael Owen and Alan Shearer in the Battle of Britain at Hampden tomorrow.

The Blackburn Rovers defender is set to come face-to-face with Kevin Keegan's strike pair as England and Scotland square up for the first leg of their crucial Euro 2000 play off.

But the 26-year-old centre back is not planning on losing any sleep tonight ahead of the biggest game of the season so far.

The former Derby man has grappled with both players on a domestic level in the Premiership during his career with both Rovers and Derby County.

And after marking Brazilian legend Ronaldo during the opening game of the 1998 World Cup, he is not about to wilt in the Hampden cauldron. "I'm just looking forward to it, to be honest," said Dailly, speaking exclusively to the Lancashire Evening Telegraph from the Scotland team hotel.

"I don't think we are worried about anyone.

"I'm not worried about the prospect of facing Alan Shearer and Michael Owen - or Andy Cole, for that matter, if he plays instead.

"I've played against Owen four or five times and Shearer probably more than that so I know what to expect.

"Obviously, we'll have to be wary of Owen's pace and Shearer's strength.

"But it doesn't really matter who you are playing against as long as you play your natural game and stick together as a unit.

"Everyone is pretty upbeat and we are not nervous or anything."

The hype surrounding the game has never stopped since the draw was made last month.

But Dailly and his team mates are trying to keep everything in perspective and not lose sight of the task in hand.

"I reckon that Brazil game was probably the biggest I've ever played in," said Dailly. "But this is obviously a massive game because of what's at stake.

"And it's always a bit more special when you are playing against England.

"It should be a great atmosphere - that's guaranteed.

"All the Scottish public are up for it and we are keen to deliver the goods.

"But we are trying to steer clear of all the hype.

"We've got to look on it as just another game but it's one we've got to win and that's what we are trying to focus on."

Even if Dailly and his fellow defenders do manage to shut out Owen and Shearer England still have a host of match winners in the likes of Paul Scholes and David Beckham.

So the Rovers man believes the onus rests with Craig Brown's strikers if Scotland are to qualify for next summer's European Championships.

"It's difficult to say exactly who England's danger man is likely to be because they have so many good players," said Dailly.

"But one thing they have got is the ability to score goals from all over the park. '"So we will be relying heavily on our own strikers to do the business for us because we don't tend to make a lot of chances.

"It's going to be up to them to take those that do come their way.

"But they have done brilliantly for us in the past and I just hope they can do it again."

Dailly shares a room with Rovers team-mate Callum Davidson on international duty and the 23-year-old full back still remains one of Brown's major fitness doubts.

And Brown is set to make a decision later today on whether or not the Ewood duo will join forces on the pitch to form one half of the Scot's rearguard.

"We've got a few injuries so it's difficult to say how we are going to line up," said Dailly.

"Callum has been nursing a hamstring but hopefully he should be okay."

Meanwhile, Rovers skipper Lee Carsley is set to replace Charlton midfielder Mark Kinsella in the Republic of Ireland side to face Turkey.

Kinsella is suspended from tomorrow's first leg and Carsley is considered as a natural replacement.

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