Protecting Paterson a priority for Strachan

SCOTLAND have wrapped full-back Callum Paterson in cotton wool ahead of the crucial World Cup double-header with Lithuania and Slovakia.

The Hearts defender is the only fit right-back in the squad following Alan Hutton’s withdrawal earlier this week.

And boss Gordon Strachan has scaled down Paterson’s training regime to keep the 21-year-old fit for Hampden tomorrow night.

Short of viable alternatives, the Scots boss ruled out calling up a replacement — pinning his hopes on nursing the Tynecastle defender towards his second competitive start.

Despite the shortage of personnel in key positions, Scots skipper

Darren Fletcher believes the current squad is as strong as any he has worked with. ‘You look around the squad and the manager has selection headaches in every position and, although it’s tough for him, he’d probably want it that way,’ Fletcher told the SFA website. ‘It shows people are competing for places and when you have a tough campaign and pick up injuries, we have options. ‘We are in a good place at the moment and, hopefully, we can show that on the pitch.’ If Fletcher plays against Lithuania and Slovakia, he will draw level with Paul McStay in fourth place on the all-time list with 76 caps. ‘The team hasn’t been selected yet, but it would be a great honour to get 75 caps,’ he added. ‘But I’m more thinking about getting the three points against Lithuania and adding to our win against Malta.’ Oliver Burke, Kieran Tierney, John McGinn and Jack Hamilton have come into the squad since the failed Euro 2016 qualifying campaign and Fletcher believes he can help them learn the ropes at international level. ‘It’s about giving them a platform to perform and giving them small bits of advice when I can,’ he said. ‘They can let the older players take the pressure and the other stuff that goes on.’