Former Scotland, Leeds United and Liverpool defender Dominic Matteo can’t believe that an English Premier League side hasn’t taken a chance on Scott Brown, calling the Celtic captain a born winner.

Matteo was impressed by Brown in Scotland’s victories over Lithuania and Malta, as he has been any time he has watched the 32-year-old in action.

And Matteo has no doubt in his mind that Brown could have cut it in the richest league in the world had he been given the opportunity, particularly with the role he plays being so pivotal in the English top-flight.

“Scott Brown is a leader and he has done brilliantly,” Matteo said.

“Brown goes under the radar a little bit, especially in England, as he does not get talked about much.

“He is top pro and top player and he really influences the Celtic and Scotland squads. His drive from the midfield is very important to Scotland.

“Scott could have made it as a player in the English Premier League. He would have been a huge loss to Celtic if he decided to do that in his career.

“He has a winning attitude and he is a born leader and is a good captain. I love those qualities in a player. It’s great to have people like that in your team.

“His workrate is second to none and he is a winner, you can see it written all over his face. He doesn’t want to get beat. Every team needs a player like him in it.

“Scott proved himself against England and there was a lot of pressure on him going into that match at Hampden but he proved that he could cut it in that company.

“I am surprised that nobody in the EPL did take a punt on him. The position he plays for Celtic and Scotland wins titles in England. That sitting, defensive midfielder who can break things up and give it and go.

"You only need to look at N'Golo Kante who did that at Leicester City and then Chelsea and he has won two Premier Leagues.

"I am not saying Scott is Kante but that position is very important within any squad, and certainly within the English Premier League.”

Matteo, who won six caps for Scotland before injury curtailed his international career, has been heartened by the recent performances of Gordon Strachan’s men.

With six Celtic players in the starting eleven in both of the recent wins, Matteo senses the same winning mentality now in the squad that he witnessed in the star-studded Liverpool dressing room of his youth.

"It is good the way [Gordon Strachan] is using the Celtic players in the side,” he said.

"That winning mentality has been talked about within the squad and that has helped.

"Scotland have players in the team that are winning every week and not used to losing and being around that only breeds confidence in the others. That rubs off on the others.

"Sometimes when lads are used to winning and they get beat they don't like it.

"I was at Liverpool with a dressing room that contained a who's who, and they weren't used to losing. If they did the players were angry for three or four days.

"When I first arrived at Liverpool there was John Barnes, Ian Rush, Stevie Nicol, Ronnie Whelan, Alan Hansen, Bruce Grobbelaar - they were all top players and winners and when we didn't win, it wasn't a nice dressing room to be in for days after a defeat. That's the way it should be."