Ritchie and Phillips return to Scotland squad for qualifiers

Matt Ritchie and Matt Phillips have returned to Gordon Strachan’s Scotland squad for their World Cup qualifiers against Lithuania and Malta in September.

The two wide men were both absent through injury when Scotland battled to a dramatic 2-2 draw against rivals England at Hampden Park in June, a result that leaves Strachan’s side one point behind second-placed Slovakia in Group F.

Leigh Griffiths, the two-goal hero of that game, is involved again, alongside five Celtic team-mates, while there is a first senior call-up for Millwall goalkeeper Jordan Archer.

Scotland must overhaul Slovakia to retain any hope of reaching next year’s finals in Russia via the play-offs, with a trip to Lithuania on September 1 followed by Malta at home three days later.

SCOTLAND | Here is your Scotland squad for September’s matches against Lithuania and Malta. pic.twitter.com/P6M7uhr5hf

— Scottish FA (@ScottishFA) August 21, 2017

Scotland squad in full:

Goalkeepers: Jordan Archer (Millwall), Craig Gordon (Celtic), Allan McGregor (Hull City).

Defenders: Ikechi Anya (Derby County), Christophe Berra (Heart of Midlothian), Grant Hanley (Newcastle United), Russell Martin (Norwich City), Charlie Mulgrew (Blackburn Rovers), Andrew Robertson (Liverpool), Kieran Tierney (Celtic), Steven Whittaker (Hibernian).

Midfielders: Stuart Armstrong (Celtic), Barry Bannan (Sheffield Wednesday), Scott Brown (Celtic), Tom Cairney (Fulham), Darren Fletcher (Stoke City), Ryan Fraser (Bournemouth), James Forrest (Celtic), James McArthur (Crystal Palace), John McGinn (Hibernian), Matt Phillips (West Bromwich Albion), Matt Ritchie (Newcastle United), Robert Snodgrass (West Ham United).

Forwards: Steven Fletcher (Sheffield Wednesday), Leigh Griffiths (Celtic), Chris Martin (Derby County), Steven Naismith (Norwich City).