Tierney and Hanley injury fears give Clarke defensive headache
Scotland manager Steve Clarke is facing growing injury concerns over key defenders Kieran Tierney and Grant Hanley as he prepares to name his squad for the pivotal World Cup qualifying double header against Moldova and Denmark. has missed Arsenal’s last three matches because of an ankle issue with his club boss Mikel Artet a admitting he has no idea when the 24-year-old will be fit again.
Norwich City captain Hanley limped out of his team’s 2-1 defeat at home to Leeds United on Sunday with a groin strain which will be assessed this week.
Both Tierney and Hanley are expected to be included in the squad which Clarke will announce at Hampden this afternoon but their involvement in the final two Group F games is uncertain.
Scotland take on Moldova in Chisinau on Friday November 12 before welcoming the already confirmed group winners Denmark to Hampden three days later.
Clarke’s men need to pick up three points from the two fixtures to secure runnersup spot in the group and advance to the play-offs next March for a place at the Qatar 2022 finals.
Tierney has been outstanding for Scotland on the left of a three-man central defence in recent matches.
But it is not yet clear whether the former Celtic player will return to training with Arsenal this week ahead of their home match against Watford on Sunday.
“He didn’t train on Friday,” said Arteta after Arsenal’s 2-0 win at Leicester City on Saturday.
“He’s still in pain and was struggling with his running.
"We need him back but I don’t know when that will be.”
Hanley has been another defensive stalwart for Clarke but the 29-year-old was reluctantly forced to leave the action two minutes from time at Carrow Road on Sunday as winless Norwich suffered their eighth defeat in 10 Premier League games this season.
"He had a groin problem and we were capable at halftierney
time to keep him going, but the longer the game went, the more problems we had,” said Norwich City manager Daniel Farke after the 2-1 home defeat to Leeds United.
“We had no natural centre-back on the bench and he (Hanley) was great.
“I wanted to leave him as long as possible on the pitch and then in the last 10 minutes it got worse for him and I didn’t want to take more risks and took him off.
“Hopefully it’s not too bad, but we have to wait for the assessment over the next few days.”
Billy Gilmour was again an unused substitute for Norwich at the weekend and has not played for Farke’s side since midseptember.
The20-year-oldmidfielder, on loan at the Canaries from Premier League leaders Chelsea, has emerged as Scotland’s most influential player during the current campaign and his lack of game-time at club level is another unwelcome development for Clarke.
The Scotland boss also has issues at the top end of the pitch, as both Lyndon Dykes and Ryan Christie are suspended for the match in Moldova.
Southampton striker Che Adams is in form, scoring twice in his last two games, and looks likely to lead the line in Chisinau as the Scots look to have their play-off berth clinched before facing the more daunting Danes.
Celtic winger James Forrest is set to return to the squad, while in-form striker Johnny Russell, who currently plies his trade for Sporting Kansas City in Major League Soccer in the USA, is in contention for a first call-up in two years.