Scots lose Fletcher and Cairney

Steven Fletcher and Tom Cairney are out of Scotland's 
squad for the World Cup Qualifiers against Lithuania and Malta.

The Sheffield Wednesday striker had to be replaced after 
74 minutes of the 1-1 draw at Burton on Saturday while Cairney needed an injection to get through the full 90 
minutes of Fulham's 2-0 win over Ipswich.

Tom Cairney is also out of the squad despite playing 90
minutes for Fulham The midfielder had only just completed his first full week of training after picking up a knee injury earlier in the campaign.

After the match, Cairney hinted he may have to pull out of the
Scotland squad.

He told thescottishsun.co.uk : "You could say after a win like that we want a game next week. But with the injuries I'd like
 to get a couple of weeks training in if I can."

 

Lithuania vs Scotland

September 1, 2017, 7:00pm

Fletcher was among the players recalled by Gordon Strachan for the two must-win fixtures in Group F.

They begin with the trip to Lithuania on September 1 and

continue with Malta's visit to Hampden Park three days later.

Both games are live on Sky Sports Football.

Scotland are four points adrift of second place in the group and Strachan has admitted they must get something out of the two games if they are to qualify for next year's tournament in Russia.

When he announced the squad last week, Strachan said: "We

have got to try and win both games. We never set out to draw

a game, we set out to win and, if we draw, we draw."