Lyndon Dykes is major Scotland injury doubt after club no show

A decision will be made on Lyndon Dykes‘ fitness after the striker missed a third QPR game in succession.

The Aussie-born hitman is due to meet up with the rest of Steve Clarke‘s squad on Sunday night as they prepare for a crucial Euro 2024 qualifier in Cyprus, before hosting England at Hampden a week on Tuesday to celebrate the Scottish FA’s 150th anniversary. But his involvement will hinge on what national team docs find when he rolls into Glasgow.

Dykes was again absent as QPR won 2-0 away at Middlesborough to put more pressure on Michael Carrick, who has endured a torrid start to the season with the Teesiders. Dykes hasn’t featured for the R’s since injuring his knee in a Carabao Cup clash back on August 16. He was still included with Clarke’s pool for the upcoming internationals though. There’s a chance he may be handed a watching brief depending on his fitness, however.

A Dykes setback would come as a blow to Clarke, who has relied heavily on the striker since persuading him to declare for Scotland. He was instrumental in June’s dramatic victory away in Norway, which has set the Scots up for automatic qualification for the finals next summer. In total he has nine goals in 29 appearances and has become a Tartan Army hero.

Victory over Group A’s bottom side would put us on to 15 points. Assuming Spain take care of Georgia, then Scotland would open up a nine point gap at the top. Norway play Jordan in a friendly before taking on the Georgians while Scotland play the Auld Enemy.

Spain host Cyprus then it;s into a crunch double header in October. Clarke takes his team to Seville before the Spanish travel to Oslo while Scotland head to Georgia, where previous campaigns have come unstuck. But avoiding defeat in Spain could well be key to holding on to top spot.