World Cup Qualifier, Group Nine: Norway v Scotland
Venue: Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo Date: Wed, 12 August Kick-off: 1800 BST
Coverage: Live on BBC Two, BBC Radio Scotland, Radio 5 live and BBC Sport website

Former Scotland striker Denis Law believes the midfield could hold the key to George Burley's team securing a draw or win against Norway.

Scotland head to Oslo for the World Cup qualifier knowing a win would boost their chances of a play-off place.

"Darren Fletcher, Scott Brown, Paul Hartley and James McFadden - it's not a bad little midfield," said Law. "They can create possibilities.

"Brown is a very influential player and McFadden can do something special."

Law, with 30 goals in 55 internationals, is Scotland's joint top scorer with Kenny Dalglish.

He is desperate to see his country appear in the World Cup finals in South Africa next summer and views the Norway match as the most important of Scotland's three remaining fixtures, with ties against Macedonia and the Netherlands to follow.

If you look at the group, the fact is we are in a position to qualify Former Scotland star Denis Law

"If Scotland can get a result there, that would be Norway out of it and we'd be on our way to qualifying for second place," said Law, who amassed his Scotland caps from 1958-1974.

"As George Burley said, a defeat is not the end of the world. A draw would be a good result, but a win would be fantastic.

"A defeat would mean we would need to win the next two games and, even if we do that, there's a possibility that we wouldn't be one of the best second-place teams to qualify.

"If we get a win or a draw against Norway, the fact that we have Macedonia here at Hampden Park would, to me, be a guaranteed win because we would know that we had qualified.

"The Holland game could go either way because they have already qualified."

Law played in the 1974 World Cup but says it came too late in his career

Law, now 69, feels that his World Cup experience in West Germany in 1974 came too late for him to display his best form.

But he insists the thrill of playing in the finals of a major tournament should offer the players tremendous motivation.

"I would think the players who get in the team will realise that this is a game that the whole of the country will be looking at to see how they do and they will realise the importance of it," said Law, who scored against Norway seven times in two matches in 1963.

"There's a possibility that we can get a result. If you look at the group, the fact is we are in a position to qualify.

"Then again, if we qualify for the play-offs, it all depends which team you get drawn against."

The Scots are in second place in Group Nine on seven points from five games, while Norway have three points from the same number of matches.

Macedonia, whom Scotland face on 5 September, are level on points with Burley's team but have played a game more.

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