ALEX McLEISH today urged his players to create their own piece of history by getting a result against Italy on their own soil.

Scotland face the world champions here tonight and, if they can continue their progress, they will be considered as favourites to qualify for the Euro 2008 Finals in Austria and Switzerland.

McLeish believes the incentive of gaining a result over Italy on their own turf is the most motivational factor - and he'll take it any way he can get it.

He said: "We have never even drawn with Italy away from Glasgow. I'm old enough to recall a great goal by John Greig at Hampden in 1965 that won us a World Cup qualifier, but we lost in Naples. There were outstanding footballers in that Scotland side and they were managed by the greatest Scottish coach of all time, Jock Stein.

"But now we have an opportunity to do ourselves and the nation a favour. It's something that everyone involved in this squad should relish.

"Right now I would take the scrappiest goalless draw you've ever seen, because it would make history for Scotland and keep us top of this very tough group. Walter Smith created a great spirit and the response of the players has been excellent since I took over. There are no illusions about our task because we are, after all, going in against the world champions.

"They have quality throughout the team, yet I reckon they will be under pressure because they have to win to join ourselves, France, and Ukraine as potential qualifiers. If we could get anything it would be a wonderful result."

McLeish will not reveal his side until moments before the match but he is likely to alter the formation and the personnel that earned the 2-1 victory over Georgia.

Kenny Miller will be asked to harass the Italian defence and Scott Brown, excellent as a sub against Georgia, will start.

"I hear about this one up," said McLeish. "We have to defend well. We are not going to play any different to the way France played at home when they beat Italy 3-1.

"It's going to be similar tactics. But it doesn't mean that when we get the ball I don't want the players to go forward.

"We want to get three or four people forward and into the box so it can quickly become 4-2-4, because we've got players with energy and capabilities to do that when you consider the McCullochs, Hartleys and Fergusons of this world, players who can get up and down the pitch all day.

"There's quality within our camp. Everybody's spoken about Scotland over the last couple of years in terms of work-rate and teamwork, but there's some quality there as well.

"We don't have, for instance, what Italy have at their disposal.

"But that would make it all the more of a fantastic result if we achieve something over there, because it would be unexpected."