McGinn breaks ankle, doubt for Scotland’s Euro 2020 playoff

BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) — Scotland midfielder John McGinn is a doubt for the European Championship qualifying playoff against Israel on March 26 after breaking his left ankle while playing for Aston Villa in the Premier League.

McGinn fell awkwardly after appearing to get his studs caught in the turf early in Villa’s 3-1 loss to Southampton on Saturday and an X-ray confirmed the extent of the damage on Sunday.

McGinn is set to miss around three months. He was his country’s top scorer in its Euro 2020 qualifying group with seven goals, including six in his last three games. He was voted Scotland’s player of the year this year.

It is also a huge blow for Villa, which has won just once in its last nine league games — and has lost the last four — to slip into the relegation zone with nearly half the season gone.