Former captain Barry Horne backing Wales to beat Scotland

Former captain Barry Horne expects Wales to beat Scotland in their World Cup qualifier at Hampden Park on Friday.

A late Gareth Bale double inspired Wales to a 2-1 win against the Scots at the Cardiff City Stadium in October.

And Horne believes Chris Coleman's side will complete a double because they are simply a better team than Scotland.

"I expect Wales to win in Scotland," said former Everton midfielder Horne, who won 59 Wales caps.

"That will paint a rosy picture. We need to do something against Croatia because the two away games were very poor.

"I hate to say it, but realistically if the campaign has not gone for us completely, it has certainly started to slip away from us. We have to be brutally honest about that."

Wales are fifth in their six-team qualifying group for the 2014 World Cup, seven points adrift of leaders Belgium and second-placed Croatia.

After the Scotland match in Glasgow, Wales then host Croatia in Swansea on 26 March.

Liverpool midfielder Joe Allen has been ruled out of the Welsh squad for the double header because of a shoulder injury.

The 23-year-old needs an operation and is expected to be out for up to three months when he finally goes under the knife.

Allen, along with Leeds United striker Steve Morison, had been included in Coleman's initial squad but both have been ruled out with injury.

Jermaine Easter, on-loan at Millwall from Crystal Palace, and Bristol City's Lewin Nyatanga have been called up to the squad.

Horne believes the impact new manager Gordon Strachan, who replaced Craig Levein, will have on Scotland against Wales will be diluted. Strachan led his side to a 1-0 win over Estonia in his first game in charge in February.

"He has had his first game, he has had that reaction," said Horne.

"We have better players than them. That is the top and bottom of it. The Scots will have a decent and passionate crowd, but we have got better players."

Horne claims Wales have improved through this qualifying campaign after a poor start, but insists the national side have to capitalise on the feelgood factor around Welsh football.

Swansea have won the Capital One Cup and are in the Premier League, while Cardiff City are top of the Championship and Wrexham and Newport are chasing promotion from the Blue Square Bet Premier.

"We have had good performances and good results, maybe [we can have] decent crowds to build up the interest in Welsh football nationally," said Horne.

"When you think that Swansea, Cardiff, Newport and Wrexham are all doing brilliantly in their respective divisions, it's a shame the national team isn't getting the support that we would like.

"With all the clubs doing so well, it would be nice to get the crowds back behind the Welsh national team.

"Who knows, they then may do their bit on the pitch."