Darren Fletcher will captain Scotland for a fourth time in the World Cup qualifier against Norway at Hampden Park on Saturday after George Burley yesterday named the Manchester United midfield player as his on-field leader in the absence of both Barry Ferguson and Stephen McManus.

There had been much speculation about Burley's choice of captain, with both David Weir and James McFadden being quoted alongside Fletcher for the job. But Burley said yesterday that he had known for some time that it would be the Old Trafford player who would be handed the task.

The honour caps an uplifting week for Fletcher, who has made his best start to a season with his club, and has just been handed a new four-year contract by Sir Alex Ferguson. Fletcher has started eight of United's ten games so far this season, provoking ringing endorsements from his club manager along the way.

Burley said yesterday that there had never been any doubt in his mind about who would lead his side against the Norwegians. “Darren has been an outstanding player for Scotland for a number of years and at the same time has established himself as a regular player for one of the biggest clubs in the world,” the Scotland manager said. “Since I took over, his attitude towards playing for his country has been outstanding, and I know he will be very proud to lead the players out at Hampden on Saturday.

“He is a player who is always desperate to represent Scotland. It is a measure of his talent that at his relatively young age he has achieved so much for his club and will win his 40th cap on Saturday. Darren will do a great job for Scotland.”

In fact, Fletcher first captained Scotland while aged just 20 years and three months, against Estonia in a friendly in May 2004, which Scotland won 1-0. It made him the youngest Scotland captain in over 100 years, or, in effect, the youngest since proper records began.

It is only the latest milestone to be achieved by Fletcher, having been repeatedly written off by his critics, many of them among the United support. In recent years the young Scot has quite often been the whipping-boy of the Old Trafford crowd since making his Manchester United debut as a 17-year-old in 2001, though Ferguson has repeatedly kept faith in him.

The player has also overcome a severe foot injury, which required the insertion of metal pins and plates, to keep his career alive. Last season, given his sporadic appearances for United, a number of clubs, Everton and Birmingham City among them, were hoping to lure Fletcher away from Old Trafford, though he repeatedly stated that he wished to remain at the club.

Yesterday, the midfield player wasn't just celebrating his Scotland captaincy, but also his new United contract, which will keep him at Old Trafford until 2012.

“It's a great honour when you sign a new contract here - this is a fantastic club, the best in the world,” Fletcher told MUTV. “We're Premier League champions and European champions and here you are always looking to retain those titles. There's no place I'd rather be as long as I'm appreciated by the manager.

“When you play at such a great club with a great team you always want to be a part of it. The spirit here is amazing and I'm happy that I can play my part in achieving more success. OK, I didn't start as many games as I'd have liked last season, but I had a good pre-season and I'm getting a run in the side, and the new contract is great.”

Burley and Scotland, meanwhile, were counting the cost of Kenny Miller joining Kris Commons and Kevin Thomson in withdrawing from the squad for Saturday's match. Miller has a hamstring injury which required him to contact Burley and inform him of his unavailability. It leaves Kris Boyd, Stephen Fletcher, Chris Iwelumo and David Clarkson as Scotland's out-and-out striking options, with McFadden expected to play a freer role just off the front.

Norway, meanwhile, remain hopeful that Steffen Iversen, the striker, will recover from the injury which forced him to sit out Rosenborg's Uefa Cup tie against Brondby last week, and be able to partner John Carew in attack at Hampden.

Age Hareide, the Norway manager, said: “We have a hope for Steffen, but I cannot ruin the rest of club season by risking him if he is not 100 per cent. Carew should make it.”

Another forward, Mohammed Abdellaoue (ankle), is already out, as are the midfield players, Martin Andresen (groin), Per Ciljan Skjelbred (knee) and Vladimir Demidov (groin), the latter withdrawing yesterday less than 24 hours after being called up as a replacement.

To add to Noway's woes, Thorstein Helstad, the striker, and Tom Hogli, the midfield player, were unable to train yesterday. Helstad was rested as a precaution but Hogli is awaiting the results of a scan on a calf problem.