Preview: North Macedonia vs Scotland - prediction, team news, lineups

Without a win between them so far, both Scotland and North Macedonia will try to kickstart their UEFA Nations League campaign when the pair meet in Skopje on Saturday.

The hosts sit last in League B Group 1, one point below their visitors, and this already looks like a fight to survive relegation.

Match preview

Underlining their status as group favourites, Switzerland strolled to a 3-0 win at Hampden Park on Tuesday evening, after Scotland had played most of their first home fixture with 10 men.

Jack Hendry's early red card proved very costly, as the hosts failed to score for a fourth consecutive game, including two blanks against Brazil and Morocco at this summer's World Cup.

In between, Sebastien Pocognoli's dugout debut ended in a goalless draw away to Slovenia, and it has been a far from ideal start for the Belgian boss.

Another failure on Saturday would see him become just the fourth Scotland manager to win none of their first three matches - but there is still time to put things right in Group 1.

With two more games scheduled for November, two also remain in this camp: before reconvening with Slovenia in Glasgow, the Scots must visit Skopje.

Since losing the first meeting with North Macedonia in September 2008, they are unbeaten in three, and their recent away record is impressively solid.

Mostly under former boss Steve Clarke, Scotland have lost just one of their last seven away games across all competitions, keeping a clean sheet in five.

However, the hosts are generally tough to beat at Tose Proeski Stadium: not since 2019 have North Macedonia endured back-to-back home defeats.

The Lynxes did lose their most recent home fixture - 3-0 to Switzerland on matchday one - so they will aim to restore normal service this weekend.

After that setback against the Swiss, Goce Sedloski's side suffered a 2-0 defeat in Slovenia on Tuesday evening, conceding twice after half time.

It has been a dismal start for Sedloski - who was capped 100 times by his country as a player - with no wins and no goals from his five matches so far.

All told, North Macedonia have now gone six games without a single goal, which is a new negative national record.

Having earned promotion from League C last time around, this Nations League campaign will surely end in failure if they cannot end that drought sooner rather than later.

North Macedonia Nations League form:

Scotland Nations League form:

Team News

As Hendry must serve a suspension after his dismissal against Switzerland, Pocognoli will be forced to make at least one change to his Scotland lineup.

In the absence of Napoli star Scott McTominay, clubmate Billy Gilmour could join Bologna captain Lewis Ferguson in central midfield.

Kieron Bowie will hope to get another chance up front, having been sacrificed when Hendry saw red after just 11 minutes; however, rising star Robbie Ure is also in contention to partner Oli McBurnie.

Andy Robertson is set to earn his 100th cap on the left flank, as he closes in on Kenny Dalglish's national record of 102; John McGinn made his 91st senior appearance on Tuesday, moving up to joint-third place.

While Robertson will captain the visitors, North Macedonia skipper Enis Bardhi is set to claim an 84th cap - he has also contributed 20 international goals.

Both Boban Nikolov and Ezgjan Alioski have pulled out of the squad, with Alioski suffering a calf injury on the opening matchday.

Teenage midfielder Matej Gashtarov leads the hosts for tackles, interceptions and possession won in Group 1 so far, and he should start in the engine room again.

North Macedonia possible starting lineup:

Dimitrievski; Ilievski, Zajkov, Musliu, Alomerovic; Atanasov, Gashtarov; Mitrovski, Bardhi, Elmas; Miovski

Scotland possible starting lineup:

Gunn; Binks, McKenna, Welsh; Hickey, Gilmour, Ferguson, McGinn, Robertson; Bowie, McBurnie