Clarke targets six points from Scotland qualifiers

Steve Clarke's Scotland sit on four points having not yet played at home

Head coach Steve Clarke has targeted maximum points from Scotland's forthcoming home double-header against Greece and Belarus as hopes of ending their lengthy World Cup absence build.

The Scots have four points in Group C after opening with a 0-0 draw in Denmark and a 2-0 victory over Belarus in Hungary.

Greece visit Glasgow on 9 October and Belarus are at Hampden Park three days later, with both matches live on the BBC.

"Of course, two home games you've got to target six points and hopefully that's what we can get," Clarke said.

Clarke has recalled Craig Gordon for the double-header despite the 42-year-old goalkeeper having not played since early May and yet to feature in a Heart of Midlothian squad this season as he returns to full fitness after a neck injury.

He joins Angus Gunn, who kept two Scotland clean sheets earlier this month but has not featured for Nottingham Forest since signing in the summer, while Rangers goalkeeper Liam Kelly has only played against Alloa Athletic in the Premier Sports Cup during this campaign.

Capped 81 times, Gordon replaces club-mate Zander Clark, with Derby County full-back Max Johnston and Wrexham central defender Dominic Hyam also dropping out.

Clarke said: "Two away games, you're probably looking at them and thinking that four points would be the minimum that we'd want to take for the games - we managed to get the four points.

"It gives us a good platform going into two home games and obviously the two home games are important as well.

"But then you go to November, there's two more games and they're going to be important. So the whole process is truncated in a short period of time, but we understand what we have to do."

There is no room in Clarke's squad for in-form Hearts striker Lawrence Shankland, or Oli Burke, who netted a hat-trick for Union Berlin against Eintrecht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga earlier this month.

Clarke said he monitored both players' recent form but preferred to go with the players who helped Scotland perform well in the opening two matches of the group.

"I think about all these players," he said. "Because I tend to pick the same players more often than not, people think that I don't look outside, I don't look at other options.

"I'm always looking at other options because you never know when you're going to get injuries, suspensions and when you're going to have to call people into your squad.

"I just felt that the players I had in the last camp did well in the camp, did well in the games and they've done well for their clubs in between, so I didn't see too much reason to change."

Greece, who beat Belarus then lost to Denmark in Athens, have good memories of their last trip to Hampden.

Trailing 1-0 from the first leg of a Nations League play-off in March, the visitors ran out comfortable 3-0 winners in what was Gordon's most recent international appearance.

With Clarke opting for a smaller squad, there is no room for Shankland, Burke or Middlesbrough forward Tommy Conway.

Anthony Ralston, who withdrew from the previous squad along with fellow Celtic full-back Kieran Tierney, returns after making his club return at the weekend after a month out.

Scotland squad

Goalkeepers: Gordon (Heart of Midlothian), Gunn (Nottingham Forest), Kelly (Rangers).

Defenders: Hanley (Hibernian), Hendry (Al-Etiffaq), Hickey (Brentford), McKenna (Dinamo Zagreb), Ralston (Celtic), Robertson (Liverpool), Souttar (Rangers), Tierney (Celtic).

Midfielders: Christie (Bournemouth), Ferguson (Bologna), Gannon Doak (Bournemouth), Gilmour (Napoli), McGinn (Aston Villa), McLean (Norwich City), McTominay (Napoli), Miller (Udinese).

Forwards: Adams (Torino), Bowie (Hibernian), Dykes (Birmingham City), Hirst (Ipswich Town).