England v Scotland: Andy Murray can lift Scots - Mark McGhee

Scot Andy Murray tops the tennis standings for the first time in his career

Scotland would take great encouragement from the presence of Andy Murray at Wembley when they meet England, says assistant manager Mark McGhee.

The Scot is the new tennis world number one and McGhee believes he will attend Friday's World Cup qualifier.

"The players are all huge Andy Murray fans and have total respect for what he's done for himself and the country," McGhee said.

"To emulate that in some way would be just fantastic."

Murray, 29, is playing at the ATP World Tour Finals in London from Sunday, hoping to end the year at the top of the rankings.

BBC Scotland understands Murray has been invited to Wembley by the Scotland camp, but his commitments in the lead-up to the finals may prevent him from taking up the offer.

While the double Wimbledon and Olympic champion from Dunblane is enjoying the best spell of his career, the national football team have made a poor start to their Russia 2018 qualifying campaign.

Gareth Southgate's England lead Group F with seven points from three matches, while Scotland are three points behind after a home draw with Lithuania was followed by defeat in Slovakia last month.

Scotland captain Darren Fletcher had a knock-up during GB's Davis Cup tie with Japan earlier this year

'This fixture looks after itself'

McGhee believes the squad has shaken off that disappointment, with the players fired up by the prospect of taking on their neighbours.

"I understand why there was negativity, but I think what we have met is a group of players, as far as I can sense, who have an absolute appetite for this game," said the Motherwell boss.

"They want to bounce back from the disappointment of those two results. They are prepared to go into this game knowing that a result would be a fantastic achievement for us but believing that we can get a result.

"Regardless of previous results, when this draw was made, that was the standout fixture, that was the fixture I wanted to be part of more than any other. So this is it.

"Regardless of the circumstances of where we are in the group, I don't think we would want to go there and win any less than we do because of the circumstances of the group at the moment. It is just a fixture that looks after itself."

McGhee (left) and head coach Gordon Strachan combined for a goal at Wembley in 1984

McGhee, who scored Scotland's goal in their 1-1 draw with England in 1984 from a cross from current head coach Gordon Strachan, added: "We have a huge support going there, that is the focus for us.

"The game being against England and the fact that we have something like 13,000 supporters going there, we want to give them something.

"More than anything, I think the manager, and I would imagine the players as well, but I know that in particular the manager wants to give them something and a result there against England would be the perfect result."

Southgate praise for Murray

Meanwhile, Southgate has praised tennis star Murray.

"He's a brilliant example for our young children," the England boss said. "He's an athlete who's dedicated himself to his sport.

"He's number one in the world at a time when there are at least four of the greatest players ever seen on the tennis circuit.

"People knocked him a lot as he made his way up and it's interesting he had to go through some near misses, semi-finals, finals, defeats that would have hurt him a lot.

"There he is now, a sportsman we're all proud of north and south of the border and a great ambassador for British sport."