John McGinn a doubt for Scotland's Euro 2020 play-off

Scotland boss Steve Clarke expresses sympathy
John McGinn is helped off the Villa Park pitchJohn McGinn is helped off the Villa Park pitch
John McGinn is helped off the Villa Park pitch

Scotland boss Steve Clarke expressed sympathy for John McGinn after it was confirmed that the midfielder has fractured his ankle.

The Aston Villa playmaker, 25, sustained the injury after just eight minutes of Saturday's Premier League defeat to Southampton when his studs caught in the turf.

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The former Hibernian and St Mirren player was sent for an X-ray with the club confirming the damage on Sunday, and although reports claim he could be out for up to three months, McGinn has not yet been ruled out of Scotland's Euro 2020 qualifying play-off semi-final against Israel on March 26.

In a statement issued to PA news agency, Clarke said: "I feel for John because he's in such a rich vein of form for club and country and obviously all of us at the Scotland national team wish him a speedy recovery.

"The most important thing right now is that he follows the club's rehabilitation programme and we will see how he is come the end of March."

McGinn scored seven times in eight games for his country in 2019 and in a recent online poll was voted BT men's player of the year for Scotland.