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Liverpool star Andy Robertson ruled out of Scotland's opening Euro 2020 qualifier

The left-back featured in the Reds' win at Fulham but will be unavailable for Alex McLeish's side in their opening qualifier vs Kazakhstan

Gavin McCafferty

Monday 18 March 2019 09:46 GMT

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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp hails 'world class' Sadio Mane

Andy Robertson became the latest player to drop out of Scotland’s opening Euro 2020 qualifier just before the squad set off for Kazakhstan.

The Liverpool left-back has a dental problem which requires surgery and will miss Thursday’s game in the Astana Arena, but could feature against San Marino three days later.

Scotland captain Robertson played in a Premier League win over Fulham on Sunday but is set to be replaced at left-back by Kieran Tierney.

The Scottish Football Association had earlier confirmed that Blackburn captain Charlie Mulgrew, Millwall goalkeeper Jordan Archer and Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Barry Bannan had pulled out.

Livingston goalkeeper Liam Kelly and Kilmarnock centre-back Stuart Findlay were handed first call-ups.

Player ratings: Fulham vs Liverpool

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1/23Player ratings: Fulham vs Liverpool

Player ratings: Fulham vs Liverpool

Fulham vs Liverpool

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Player ratings: Fulham vs Liverpool

Sergio Rico - 4

Must have felt he was doing OK when it was 1-1 with 10 minutes left before he spilled Salah’s shot at Mane’s feet and then pulled him over in the box. It was an obvious penalty and Rico had ruined all of his good work. Did at least stop it from getting worse with a save from Salah soon after.

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Player ratings: Fulham vs Liverpool

Timothy Fosu-Mensah - 5

Trusted by Scott Parker to come back into the side and he was a powerful tackler at right back. It was never easy with Robertson and Mane doubling up on him but that was not his fault and he could hardly have worked harder than he did.

REUTERS

Player ratings: Fulham vs Liverpool

Calum Chambers - 5

Certainly an improvement on Maxime LeMarchand, he had a very difficult task here but handled it well. Never going to be quick but he is at least competent on the ball.

Liverpool FC via Getty Images

Player ratings: Fulham vs Liverpool

Tim Ream - 6

Another player who looks lifted by the changed mood here, he threw himself into everything, blocking and tackling and trying to stem the tide of red shirts. Clearly still very popular with the crowd here too.

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Player ratings: Fulham vs Liverpool

Joe Bryan - 5

Had a slightly easier time than Fosu-Mensah on the opposite side, he was assiduous in his defensive duties, dealing with Salah and Alexander Arnold as well as he could. Pinned back, he barely managed to get up the pitch and attack as he likes to.

REUTERS

Player ratings: Fulham vs Liverpool

Tom Cairney - 6

What a shame that Cairney was ignored by Claudio Ranieri for so long. The local favourite was restored in central midfield, providing those little touches and passes to keep Fulham ticking. Even if he did not see as much of the ball as he would hope.

REUTERS

Player ratings: Fulham vs Liverpool

Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa - 6

Playing holding midfield against Liverpool is a nightmare, an exertion of constant pressure, but here he held his own. He won the ball, used it cleverly, and nearly pulled off a dramatic equaliser from outside the box.

AFP/Getty Images

Player ratings: Fulham vs Liverpool

Jean Michael Seri - 6

At times this season it has been impossible to see why he was so sought after last year, but not today. He was busy, ambitious, energetic, always trying to push forward even if things did not always work. Hooked for Ryan Sessegnon after an hour, however.

PA

Player ratings: Fulham vs Liverpool

Floyd Ayite - 6

Brought in for his first league start of the season and it showed. Ayite had Robertson surging past him every time and he never looked like he could catch up. But in the second half he was part of Fulham’s fightback, even having a header disallowed for offside.

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Player ratings: Fulham vs Liverpool

Aleksandar Mitrovic - 5

He has been Fulham’s difference-maker for much of this season but here he was anonymous and powerless, winning nothing against Virgil van Dijk, unable to give his team the slightest presence in the game.

PA

Player ratings: Fulham vs Liverpool

Ryan Babel - 8

Claimed before the game that he knew Van Dijk’s secret weakness, and who would argue with him now? Scored what could have been a huge goal in the season when he got in between Van Dijk and Allison, bundling in an equaliser which he refused to celebrate. While it was a surprise, it was also a reward for Fulham’s only attacking player who had been willing to take anyone on all afternoon.

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Player ratings: Fulham vs Liverpool

Alisson Becker - 5

This could have been a definitive moment of his Liverpool career had it not been for Milner’s late penalty. Slow coming off his line from Van Dijk’s header, he let Babel get in to, if only briefly, reduce Liverpool’s lead.

PA

Player ratings: Fulham vs Liverpool

Trent Alexander-Arnold - 7

Such a graceful menace high up the right wing for Liverpool. He barely did any defending here but every time he got the ball he whipped it perfectly into the box, giving them a width and range to their attack that few other right-backs provide.

AFP/Getty Images

Player ratings: Fulham vs Liverpool

Joel Matip - 6

Barely a day for defending but he did well against Mitrovic and Babel when he had to, and was free to set the tone on the ball, passing it forward briskly, getting things started.

Liverpool FC via Getty Images

Player ratings: Fulham vs Liverpool

Virgil van Dijk - 5

The best defender in the world made the worst mistake of his life here, misjudging a header back to Allison, getting caught, and seeing Ryan Babel take advantage. Fortunately for Van Dijk, Milner saved the day at the other end soon after. Had Liverpool drawn it would have been agony for a man who has been so important to their success.

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Player ratings: Fulham vs Liverpool

Andrew Robertson - 8

Spent the whole game in Fulham’s half and was involved in every attack. With a bit more luck he would have scored and assisted plenty but he had to make do with simply starting the move for Mane’s opener.

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Player ratings: Fulham vs Liverpool

Georginio Wijnaldum - 7

Did not have much destructive work to do – Fulham did not have enough of the ball – but he was dangerous going forward and had two opportunities to score. Kept Liverpool moving and on the front foot all afternoon.

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Player ratings: Fulham vs Liverpool

Fabinho - 7

So important in games like this, sitting in front of the centre-backs, allowing both full-backs to push forwards and pin Fulham back. With and without the ball he was in complete control of everything he did.

AFP/Getty Images

Player ratings: Fulham vs Liverpool

Adam Lallana - 6

Here to make sure that the Liverpool midfield does not lack dynamism, he was as busy as ever, darting around, putting Fulham under pressure, keeping the ball moving. After a long trouble with injuries he certainly gives this team more options.

REUTERS

Player ratings: Fulham vs Liverpool

Mohamed Salah - 6

Maybe he is not on top of his game right now but he is still a scampering threat to any opposition. Fulham tired themselves out just trying to stop him and of course it was his opportunistic shot that Rico spilled to make the penalty to win it.

Action Images via Reuters

Player ratings: Fulham vs Liverpool

Roberto Firmino - 6

It only takes him one little opening to make the difference. Here he was, running onto Mane’s pass, stepping over it, passing the ball back, to set up Liverpool’s opener. He did not do too much else but he did not need to.

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Player ratings: Fulham vs Liverpool

Sadio Mane - 8

Is Mane the most dangerous player in the world right now? Never let Fulham rest with his running, and scored his 11th in 11 games, with a move entirely of his own making. His powerful dribble, his lay-off to Firmino, his smooth finish. And of course he won the penalty that saved the game.

Liverpool FC via Getty Images

Mulgrew has missed his club’s last two games after suffering a hamstring injury and his absence leaves Scotland facing issues in central defence.

Aberdeen centre-back Scott McKenna also emerged as an injury doubt for the after the 22-year-old played with a heavily-bandaged thigh during his team’s 1-1 draw with Livingston on Saturday.

Findlay was a Scotland Under-21 regular and has impressed under Steve Clarke at Kilmarnock. The other two centre-backs in the squad are John Souttar of Hearts and Hamburg’s David Bates.

Archer was dropped from the Millwall team for the midweek victory over Birmingham and was not in the squad for Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Brighton.

Bannan – who has not featured under Scotland boss Alex McLeish – played the full 90 minutes and set up three goals as Sheffield Wednesday beat Blackburn 4-2 on Saturday.

Andy Robertson applauds the Liverpool fans (Liverpool FC via Getty)

There was better news for McLeish as key midfielder Callum McGregor played the full game as Celtic beat Dundee 1-0, before meeting up with his international team-mates at Glasgow Airport.

The 25-year-old had been missing for four matches with a calf problem.

PA

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