- Nathan Patterson was substituted at Chelsea after suffering a hamstring injury
- Steve Clarke could now be without the full-back for Scotland’s Euro campaign
- Exhausted Man City?! We’re all tired, but it’s dangerous to spread that message. Big games are what it’s all about: Listen to the It’s All Kicking Off podcast
Nathan Patterson will learn this weekend if his hopes of playing for Scotland at this summer’s Euro finals are over.
The Everton right-back will travel to London to see a specialist after he sustained a hamstring injury during added time in a heavy 6-0 loss to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Steve Clarke is required to submit his final 23-man squad to UEFA by June 7, with Scotland due to face Germany in the opening game of the Euros a week later.
While 22-year-old Patterson will be given time and opportunity to prove his fitness before Scotland’s final warm-up game against Finland, the SFA are now bracing themselves for the worst. Figures close to the player believe his hopes of going to the Euros are now wafer thin.
The issue adds to the headache facing manager Clarke before he names his provisional squad for Germany.
Both England and Scotland have raised concerns that, with the last round of friendly internationals finishing just two hours before the final squad lists are registered, there will be little time to assess any potential injuries before names are submitted to UEFA at midnight.
The other option at right-back is Brentford’s Aaron Hickey, currently engaged in a race against time to be fit for Germany after he, too, sustained a hamstring injury against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. The 21-year-old last played in October, with Brentford head of player development Steven Pressley reporting ‘good progress’ in his recovery earlier this week.
Lewis Ferguson is already out of the Euros after the Bologna captain sustained a serious knee injury on Sunday.
The former Aberdeen midfielder will require surgery on an anterior cruciate ligament issue expected to sideline him for six months.
