Scotland call up Jamie Murphy, Kenny McLean and Mark Reynolds to face England - BBC Sport
Brighton's Jamie Murphy and Aberdeen duo Kenny McLean and Mark Reynolds are named in Scotland's squad to face England.
Last updated on .From the section Football

Brighton's Jamie Murphy and Aberdeen duo Kenny McLean and Mark Reynolds have been called up to the Scotland squad for their World Cup match with England.

Absent from the squad are Matt Ritchie and Grant Hanley, who have been promoted with Newcastle United.

Also dropping out from the squad that defeated Slovenia are Leipzig's Oliver Burke, West Brom's Matt Phillips and Middlesbrough's Jordan Rhodes.

Winger Phillips and central defender Hanley pulled out of that squad through injury and have not played since April.

Ritchie scored in the 4-1 win over Preston North End that secured Newcastle promotion to England's top flight but missed the last two games of the season through suspension.

Fellow winger Burke started Saturday's 2-2 draw with Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany's Bundesliga, but the 20-year-old does not make the squad this time.

"Oliver started the last game of the season, but that was the first for a long, long time" said the head coach.

"It might be too much to ask Oliver to produce what we think he can produce with the lack of games behind him."

Rhodes, who had been on loan from Middlesbrough, lost his first-team place at Sheffield Wednesday to Scotland colleague Steven Fletcher, who does make Strachan's 29-man squad.

And Rhodes' place goes to Murphy, who has been in previous squads without winning a senior a cap but has earned a recall after helping Brighton finish runners-up in England's Championship.

"We thought about that the last game, people who were feeling good about themselves," said Strachan. "They bring that positivity to the squad."

Scotland beat Slovenia 1-0 and lie fourth in the Group F table, two points behind second-top Slovakia, with England a further four points ahead.

Midfielder McLean, whose one cap came in a March 2016 friendly against Czech Republic, and uncapped defender Reynolds finished runners-up in the Scottish Premiership with the Dons.

"I've seen Kenny recently in a wonderful game, the Aberdeen-Celtic match, the best 45 minutes of football I have seen this season," said Strachan. "And the 90 minutes were terrific and throughout that Kenny had an excellent game.

"And the results at Aberdeen have been fantastic. They have had a good, strong finish to the season."

Swansea left-back Stephen Kingsley does return to Strachan's squad after Rangers' Lee Wallace was ruled out following stomach surgery.

However, there is no space in the squad for Callum McGregor, despite the in-form Celtic midfielder being tipped for a call-up for the match at Hampden Park.

"I think everyone knows that's where we are strong, and that's where you need to be strong these days.

"There is a lot of other midfield players that I have seen recently that you would think, if it wasn't so strong, they would be in the squad as well," added Strachan.

"Kevin McDonald at Fulham has had an excellent season.

"A lot of lads in that area are just unfortunate we are very, very strong in that area, which showed in the last game against Slovenia, we were strong and full of enthusiasm and know-how in there."