Dele Alli prepared to 'stand his ground' for England at Hampden Park

England midfielder Dele Alli has claimed that he has learned to toughen up since making his breakthrough and will not let opposition players 'walk all over him'.

The 21-year-old made his mark in the third tier of English football with MK Dons before earning a move to Tottenham Hotspur, where he has since grown into one of the division's most proficient players.

Alli, who is expected to start England's World Cup qualifier against Scotland on Saturday evening, believes that a tough upbringing is behind his steely edge - a trait that could come in handy at Hampden Park.

"You see a lot of things going on in the league when you are playing there, a lot of players going into tough challenges and little things that maybe you wouldn't get away with in the Premier League," he told reporters.

"I've had to look after myself for a long time in the football world. Some things can go wrong but you don't want players to think they can walk all over you, so it's important you stand your ground.

"I think in League One there's a lot of great players and you sort of sit there and wonder why they're not playing in the Premier League when you play against them, with the skills they have.

"But I think there's different reasons for that and you have to be mentally strong to get through it and be ready to step up to the challenge."

Alli featured 37 times for Tottenham in the top flight last season, playing a direct part in 25 goals from attacking midfield.