Scotland squad set to miss some big names as depth tested - keeper issues, scouting clues, Livramento option

Aaron Hickey is out until next year after a training-ground injury at Brentford.

The debt of gratitude felt by Scots towards precocious Spanish teenager Gavi is already considerable. The 19-year-old midfielder is barely able to buy a drink, and he won't have to the next time he’s in Scotland after scoring the winner against Norway last month. As well as putting Spain in the driving seat to win Group A, this goal also secured Scotland’s place at Euro 2024.

Which is very fortunate as we begin to sift through manager Steve Clarke’s options for the concluding qualifiers against Georgia and Norway. Mercifully, Scotland's qualification fate does not hinge on this pair of challenging fixtures. Next Thursday's match against old foes Georgia would otherwise represent a considerably fraught prospect given past experiences in that city, particularly in light of recent injury news.

Candidates to fill the third goalkeeper spot look particularly thin on the ground. Undisputed first choice Angus Gunn’s likely absence due to a muscle problem in his leg leg has created a vacancy. Either Zander Clark or Liam Kelly will fill his gloves, meaning another back-up is needed. One option, Robby McCrorie, continues to occupy the bench at Rangers.

Scotland's Andy Robertson goes off injured against Spain.

Clarke will be relieved he blooded both Kelly and Clark in the last game against France although a Georgia v Scotland fixture does have previous for a rookie international excelling on his competitive debut. Sadly, of course, it was against Scotland.

Clarke is faced with perhaps the first real test of the strength in depth of his squad. It is perhaps timely given next summer's challenges in Germany and subsequent Nations League commitments, with Scotland competing in League A for the first time. And then comes World Cup qualifying.

Scotland need to evolve. Clarke will know this. Andy Robertson will be 30 by the time he next pulls on a Scotland shirt. He is ruled out until next year due to a dislocated shoulder. He hits 30 on 11 March – Scotland’s next two games following this month will be pre-Euro 2024 warm-ups later that same month.

The hope is Robertson is back by then. He won’t be back by next week, which might be one reason why Clarke chose to attend Saturday’s Viaplay Cup semi-final between Hibs and Aberdeen. Much has been expected of Aberdeen left-back Jack MacKenzie. Now 23, he’s surely old enough for an international breakthrough. He's certainly old enough to know that lifting your arms when already on a booking is almost guaranteed to end in a red card. MacKenzie chose the wrong evening to have a brainstorm.

No Robertson and no Kieran Tierney on the left. And now no Aaron Hickey, with the loss of the versatile Brentford full-back a particular blow given he can play on the right or left. Hickey has injured a hamstring in training though at least Nathan Patterson is fit, if not necessarily match fit. He came on for the last minute of Everton’s 1-1 draw on Saturday against Brighton.

Someone who might well have come into contention in this position is former Aberdeen utility player Ross McCrorie, who has been struck down by illness since joining Bristol City during the summer. He is not due back until next year. Some welcome good news for Clarke is Anthony Ralston’s timely return to the Celtic side after injury to Alistair Johnston.

One intriguing option is Tino Livramento, who has started two of Newcastle United’s last three games, including in the Champions League against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday night. The full-back is eligible through a Scottish mother but made his return to the England Under 21s in the 9-1 win over Serbia last month after a long spell out due to serious injury. He is likely to view his international future through this prism.

In any case Clarke might well be once bitten, twice shy given his recent experience with Elliot Anderson, Livramento’s Newcastle teammate.