MALKY Mackay could be set to play West Brom winger Matt Phillips up front when Scotland take on the Netherlands at Pittodrie on Thursday night.

Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths has been forced to withdraw after suffering a recurrence of a calf injury in the Champions League game against Bayern Munich last week.

That has left Mackay, who has taken charge of the national side on a departure of Gordon Strachan last month, with just two forwards, Ryan Christie and Jason Cummings.

Both Christie, who is on loan at Aberdeen from Celtic, and Cummings, who moved from Hibernian to Nottingham Forest in the summer, are uncapped

And Mackay could move Phillips or James Forrest of Celtic from their natural positions out wide into attack.

“Matt Phillips can play through the middle,” he said. “[And] James Forrest has played there in an emergency.”