Stephen Dunmoye
In few hours’ time, Scotland will be facing Ukraine in an opening match of the UEFA Nations League today.
They both ultimately missed out on a place at Qatar 2022, but occupy the top two spots in League B Group 1 with a game in hand on the other two nations.
Meanwhile, the two Nations have injured players in different League games that will be left out of the game today.
Scotland captain Andy Robertson will be missing through injury for each of their three games this month, the timely return of Arsenal’s Kieran Tierney at least compensates, and the former Celtic full-back should start.
However, Jacob Brown, Grant Hanley and Jon McLaughlin have all withdrawn from the squad, with Rangers goalkeeper Robby McCrorie called up as the latter’s replacement.
Hibernian centre-back Ryan Porteous has received his first call-up, as both John Souttar and Liam Cooper are sidelined, while midfield pair Ryan Jack and Kenny McLean are back in contention following long-term injuries. Despite a lack of playing time this term, Billy Gilmour, Jack Hendry and Anthony Ralston could all feature too.
While Robertson sits out for Scotland, a similarly influential left-footer will be absent for Ukraine, as Arsenal’s Oleksandr Zinchenko recently sustained a calf injury in training and may not return to action until next month.
Dynamo Kyiv’s Mykola Shaparenko suffered an ACL rupture in his club’s Europa League clash with Fenerbahce earlier this month, so joins Zinchenko on the sidelines.
Shakhtar Donetsk starlet Mykhaylo Mudryk and captain Andriy Yarmolenko are both among a familiar-looking squad, though, and both should start in support of either Roman Yaremchuk and Artem Dovbyk up front.
Scotland possible starting lineup:
Gordon; Hendry, McKenna, Tierney; Patterson, McGinn, McGregor, Hickey; Fraser, Adams, Christie
Ukraine possible starting lineup:
Lunin; Karavayev, Zabarnyi, Matviyenko, Mykolenko; Kovalenko, Sydorchuk, Malinovskyi; Yarmolenko, Yaremchuk, Mudryk