Liam Lindsay is set to be handed a maiden Scotland call up in the midst of a defensive crisis, according to a report.
The Scots are looking worryingly light at the back going into October’s Nations League double header away to Croatia and at home to Portugal. And the Daily Mail reports that Steve Clarke is set to turn to the Preston North End defender when he names his squad for both matches on Tuesday. Injuries to Kieran Tierney and Scott McKenna have thinned out the numbers available to Clarke in that position, while Liam Cooper has seen red tape delay the start of his CSKA Sofia career.
Now Lindsay is in line to be named in the national pool for the first time. The 28-year-old former Partick Thistle star has been a standout for Paul Heckingbottom’s Preston so far this campaign, returning impressive stats in the nine outings he;s made for the Deepdale club so far.
Scotland are on a horror run of just one win in 19 games with Clarke keen to stop the rot. However, it will be tough task in the top tier of the Nations League as narrow defeats at home to Poland and away to Portugal showed earlier this month.
Clarke will also consider call ups for for Rangers midfielder Connor Barron, full backs Josh Doig and Max Johnston along with the continued firs team involvement of Liverpool starlet Ben Doak, who scored for Middlesbrough at the weekend.
However, with Scot Gemmill;s Under 21s still in with a shout of securing a best runners up slot and earning a Euros playoff spot, Clarke may leave the best of the young team where they are in order to afford the Tartan Teens the best chance to making it. Gemmill names his squad for clashes with Belgium and Kazakhstan on Wednesday.