Dykes 50/50 to lead line as Porteous gets called up

LYNDON DYKES is a major doubt for the Qatar 2022 qualifier against Denmark at Hampden tonight that Scotland need to get a result in to ensure they are seeded in the play-off draw next week.

Dykes, who became the first man since Colin Stein in 1969 to score in four consecutive Scotland matches when he netted a late goal against the Faroe Islands last month, has an ankle problem. Steve Clarke rated the forward’s chances of being involved as “50-50”.

The Queens Park Rangers player was suspended for the meeting with Moldova in Chisinau on Friday night and the national team won 2-0 without him to guarantee they finished runners-up in Group F.

However, it will give Andy Robertson and his team-mates and the sell-out crowd inside Hampden a huge lift if Australia-born Dykes is able to take his place in the starting line-up alongside Che Adams up front.

“Lyndon didn’t do very much this morning,” said Clarke. “It’s an ankle issue. He picked up an injury in a game I watched him in, against Nottingham Forest. It was a tackle with Scott McKenna.

“He obviously played the next two games for QPR, but it was never quite right and it’s just flared up a little bit. We will have a look at him in the morning and see how he is. But 50-50 is a fair call.”

Scott McTominay, the Manchester United midfielder who left Scotland’s training camp in Spain last week after picking up a virus, is out of the Denmark match after failing to recover.

Hibernian centre-half Ryan Porteous was last night drafted in to provide cover in defence.

Clarke has also called up Anthony Ralston, the Celtic right-back, due to Nathan Patterson of Rangers being suspended.

He stressed that Ralston, who is uncapped at full international level, has as much chance of featuring against the Euro 2020 semi-finalists as anyone in his squad.

“Everyone I pick for the squad is a potential starter, I have said that consistently,” said Clarke. “I think I have shown I can call people in the squad and start them in games. Anthony is no different to anybody else.”