Craig Gordon's 50th cap will be a bigger achievement for the Scotland goalkeeper than most who have hit the milestone, according to Gordon Strachan.

The national boss could hand him the honour on Thursday in the 2018 World Cup qualifier against Slovakia at Hampden.

Considering the injury problems he has experienced in the past, Strachan says it would be an extra special moment for his number one keeper.

Gordon was sidelined with a career-threatening knee injury in 2011 and despite returning for one game a year later, he then faced a further two seasons out of action.

The 34-year-old got his career back on track when Ronny Deila signed him for Celtic in summer 2014 and Strachan is impressed with how much he has progressed since.

"It's bigger than most people who get to 50 caps," he said. "Normally it's a run of form that gives you the caps but the fact he had to put up with an injury where most of us thought he'd never play at the top level again.

"For him to knock that aside and come back... and he's a better goalkeeper now than he was ten years ago. He's far more experienced and better at certain things.

"So for him, and whoever backed him and stood by him at the time, should all give themselves a pat on the back, especially him, for getting to where he is today."

Gordon won his first cap in 2004 when Scotland beat Trinidad and Tobago 4-1 in a friendly.