Strachan will rest Celts for Canada clash

GORDON STRACHAN will field an experimental team against Canada in midweek, minus the Celtic players who start today’s Premiership match against Dundee.

The national coach has named a larger-than-usual 30-man pool for a double-header that concludes with the World Cup qualifier against Slovenia next Sunday.

Fulham’s Tom Cairney and Ryan Fraser of Bournemouth are in line to earn their first caps in the warm-up match against the Canadians at Easter Road but Celtic midfielder Stuart Armstrong may have to wait for his debut if, as expected, he shrugs off a calf injury to start at Dens Park this afternoon.

Armstrong’s Celtic team-mates

Craig Gordon, Scott Brown, Kieran Tierney and James Forrest are also likely to be rested but Leigh Griffiths could find himself on from the start on Wednesday night,’ said Strachan.

‘We want to start working on the Canada game on Monday and it’s very hard to ask the Celtic players to start preparing right away.

‘I’ve got more than enough, that’s why I picked a larger squad, on the understanding I think maybe five Celtic players will start their game.’

With Gordon likely to be rested and David Marshall currently warming the bench at Hull City, Wednesday could also see the return of Allan McGregor in goal.

‘They’re equal in terms of being all-round goalkeepers,’ said Strachan of the trio. ‘You have to take into account how they are playing and where they are playing at this moment in time.

‘We put Craig into the England game because I thought he was the best goalkeeper for that game.’

Meanwhile, Matt Phillips has withdrawn from the squad due to injury and James Morrison has been ruled out of the Canada clash.