Scotland’s McGinn & McKenna doubtful for Nations League double

Former Celtic right-back Josip Juranovic and Bayern Munich’s Josip Stanisic are missing from Croatia’s 25-man squad for their Nations League meeting with Scotland, who have added Scott McKenna and John McGinn to their own list of injury doubts.

McKenna, who been a regular starter at left centre-half in the absence of Arsenal’s Kieran Tierney, picked up a hamstring injury in training on Friday that ruled the 27-year-old out of Las Palmas’ 2-1 La Liga defeat by Osasuna the following day, with the Spanish club as yet unsure of his recovery time.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery had more clarity about McGinn, revealing that the midfielder is likely to be missing “for a few weeks” after the 29-year-old was forced off with a hamstring injury at half-time during Saturday’s 3-1 Premier League win over Wolverhampton Wanderers.

However, Nathan Patterson featured in Everton Under-21’s victory over Sunderland on Sunday – the right-back’s first match in nearly six months.

Scotland head coach Steve Clarke is expected to name his squad next week for the Nations League double header – in Croatia on 12 October and at home to Portugal three days later.

Croatia counterpart Zlatko Dalic has already confirmed his squad, with Juranovic again missing out after summer ankle surgery that means he has not featured for Union Berlin this season.

Stanisic’s absence reduces the options at right-back, but Dalic says: “I believe we can compensate well with the players we have.”

Borna Barisic, the left-back who joined Trabzonspor from Rangers this summer, is one of those to drop out after being named in the provisional squad.

Croatia followed their opening Nations League defeat in Portugal by beating Poland last time out, while Scotland have gone six games without a win after their loss in Lisbon earlier this month.