STUART ARMSTRONG has been backed to handle a win-or-bust Scotland debut by Celtic team-mate Kieran Tierney.

The Hoops midfielder was rested for Wednesday's 1-1 draw with Canada by Gordon Strachan and is set to start at Hampden tomorrow against Slovenia.

But will the Scots needing a win to keep their World Cup dream alive, Tierney says it will be a successful baptism of fire and not fear for Armstrong in Glasgow.

The Celtic left-back told SportTimes “He’d love to start.

“We have played in massive games this season with Celtic already in the Champions League, against Rangers and other big teams.

“It’ll just be another one for him and it would be great for him to get his debut.

“He’s a great player and we knew that before he came to Celtic. Even at Dundee United he was excellent.

“This season his goal-scoring record for a midfielder and the amount of games he’s played is brilliant.

"That’s only a positive for the national team that he’s a midfielder and he’s got a goal in him."

It is that goal threat which makes him likely to be thrown in from the start tomorrow when Group F's second-place team come to town.

In green and white this season Armstrong has already banged in 12 goals from midfield, and it is this attribute possibly more than his work rate or technical ability that will have Strachan ready to throw him straight into the team.

Tierney has watched on with admiration this season as the 24-year-old has gone from strength to strength, transforming himself from a fringe player into arguably the Premiership leaders' player of the season.

“Yeah he’s been brilliant, especially with the goals he scores," added Tierney.

“But it’s not just about that, he works hard for the team. He’s a proper team player and everything he does is for that.

“At Celtic there are so many candidates for player of the season it’s probably the tightest one."

Meanwhile, Slovenian coach Sre?ko Katanec reckons his team are facing a Scotland side who he reckons were BETTER than England when the two teams met at Wembley back in November.

Gareth Southgate's men won 3-0 on the night but Katanec has warned his players not to be fooled by that result or Scotland's lowly fifth place in Group F. "I do not understand how they lost two matches in qualifying, because the did not deserve it.

"Towards the Slovaks they were on the end of a miserable score, while they on the pitch they were even better than England.

"Scotland is a good, combative team that does not have a good starting point and the point of looking at us.

"If we are not concentrated, not fast, we face problems. My boys will prepare for this situation, what the game will bring remains to be seen.

"I hope that the guys are in the right shape to be in Scotland. We need to be compact, combative and at the right level. If we do not do this, we will be trampled."