Josh Doig, Anthony Ralston and Robby McCrorie have been included in the Scotland squad for the upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers away to Georgia and at home to Norway as a batch of key players struggle for fitness.
Goalkeeper Angus Gunn, captain Andrew Robertson, plus fellow defenders Kieran Tierney and Aaron Hickey – all of whom have been regular starters when fit – miss out through injury.
Verona left-back Doig earned a maiden call-up from Steve Clarke a year past September but is yet to win his first cap.
Steve Clarke has named his Scotland squad for our final two matches of 2023.
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— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT)
However, he will have the opportunity to stake a claim for a place at left-wing-back in the absence of Robertson and Tierney.
Celtic right-back Ralston – with six caps to his name – will vie with Nathan Patterson for the right-wing-back slot in place of Hickey.
Uncapped Rangers goalkeeper McCrorie has been added after Gunn failed to recover from the injury he sustained while playing for Norwich against Leeds last month.
Motherwell’s Liam Kelly and Hearts’ Zander Clark – both of whom made their international bows in the friendly defeat by France last month – will hope to be given the chance to make their competitive debuts in place of Gunn over the next two games.
Along with Gunn, Robertson, Tierney and Hickey, Millwall forward Kevin Nisbet and Rangers defender John Souttar, who have also had fitness issues recently, are the other notable absentees from the squad.
The Scots are already assured of qualification for the finals in Germany next summer but could still finish top of Group A if they achieve better results in their closing two matches than Spain manage in their concluding fixtures against Cyprus and Georgia.
Spain are currently ahead of Clarke’s men by virtue of head-to-head and goal difference.
