What are Clarke's big calls for Morocco? And who would you pick?

It’s Scotland’s biggest game since… the last one.

Having negotiated a dangerous opening World Cup match against Haiti and banked a precious three points, Steve Clarke’s side return to the Boston Stadium to take on Morocco on Friday (23:00 BST).

A point would almost certainly guarantee progression from Group C and a place in the knockout stages of a major tournament for the first time.

A victory would remove all doubt and save the country a nerve-shredding final group game against Brazil in Miami next Wednesday.

It is the biggest team selection of Clarke’s career, but what are the key selection calls the Scotland head coach has to ponder? Who would the pundits pick? And what would you do?

Back four or back five?

Aside from one scary moment when he fumbled a shot, Angus Gunn was largely untroubled against Haiti and it is hard to see any reason to change the goalkeeper.

Scott McKenna missed out on the opening match through injury but is now back in the mix.

Grant Hanley and Jack Hendry showed up well in the first game, though, so does McKenna displace either of them in a back four? Or perhaps join them in a switch to three centre-backs in a back five?

“I fully expect a change of shape,” said Andy Halliday on the Scottish Football Podcast. “I think it will be either a 4-5-1, or do we actually go into that five at the back that Steve Clarke’s deployed so often?

“I don’t think we can give Morocco the amount of space that we gave Haiti and expect it to get a positive result at the end of it.”

Does Christie come back in?

Clarke said omitting Ryan Christie for the Haiti game was one of the toughest decisions he’s ever had to make.

Given the struggles to retain possession, particularly in the second half, against the side ranked 83 in the world, could the classy Bournemouth midfielder come back into the starting line-up?

“I think there’s no way we see the 4-4-2 against Morocco, so you’d expect one of the strikers to drop out and I think Ryan Christie comes in just for his energy,” said former Hibernian and Celtic midfielder Scott Allan on the Scottish Football Podcast.

“We can’t consistently give the ball away in the manner that we did against Haiti against a team like Morocco.”

Who leads the front line?

So if we assume Clarke opts for a more defensive formation, who will lead the line?

Lawrence Shankland was in terrific goalscoring form in the friendlies against Curacao and Bolivia, but struggled to make an impact against Haiti when partnering Che Adams up front.

“I don’t think they made it stick as well as they did the previous two games,” said Halliday of the front two. “I think Shankland was the one that struggled the most, so I expect that he’ll be the one that drops out.”

Adams is a firm favourite of Clarke’s, as is Lyndon Dykes, who could provide a more physical presence should the head coach elect to go down the lone striker route.

But might he be tempted to go a little left-field and throw in Ipswich’s George Hirst to spearhead the Scottish attack?

“We need to make sure that we’ve got a counter-attack and a threat, we’ve got to make sure we’re worrying the opposition. We just can’t sit in and wait for a set-play,” former Scotland striker Duncan Ferguson told ITV Sport.

“I think I would probably take [Lawrence] Shankland off [the starting line-up]. I don’t think that he would suit this game because I think if we’re sitting back, we’ve not got a counter-attack on him.

“So I’d maybe bring in one of the quicker players, maybe [George] Hirst for instance, who’s a bit more mobile than him.”

What would you do in Clarke’s position?

Right, you’ve read what the pundits think. Now it’s your turn.

Pick your preferred shape and starting XI, decide on what the approach should be, and deliver you team talk.

No pressure, but avoiding defeat would likely mean making history