James McFadden defends Anthony Ralston after Andy Robertson’s actions as Scotland beat Poland

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Anthony Ralston will return to Celtic with a spring in his step.

The Celtic right-back isn’t a starter on the domestic stage, but for Scotland, he started back-to-back matches for Steve Clarke in the UEFA Nations League this past week.

It wasn’t easy, but Scotland picked up two wins from two, including boyhood Celtic fan Andy Robertson scoring a stoppage-time winner against Poland on Monday evening.

That means Scotland have been handed a UEFA Nations League relegation lifeline and will now face a two-legged tie in the spring to decide their top-tier status.

Ralston played 76 minutes in Poland after playing the entire game when Scotland beat Croatia 1-0 at Hampden on Friday night.

But it wasn’t a straightforward game for the 26-year-old, who was under serious defensive pressure throughout, with James McFadden coming to his defence.

James McFadden says Andy Robertson ‘should know better’ after Anthony Ralston’s defensive mix-up

This wasn’t easy for the Scotland players and, even though John McGinn opened the scoring pretty early on, they were under serious pressure and needed to dig in.

Before Poland equalised in the second half, Scotland’s backline nearly handed a goal on a plate to their opponents in the first half after a wayward pass from Robertson and then poor defending from, not only Ralston, but Scott McTominay.

The opposition should have scored, but rather than look at the part Ralston played in that moment, McFadden wasn’t happy with his skipper, as he told BBC Sport.

“I know McTominay and Ralston can do better,” said McFadden. “But Robertson should know better to play that square pass. One of them has to take control but they don’t.

“That is the warning sign. Really that should be the leveller.”

Ralston’s stats as Celtic beat Poland

Alistair Johnston is Celtic’s starting right-back and, unfortunately for Ralston, the Canada star is playing the best football of his career right now.

But these performances on the international stage certainly help matters and, for Brendan Rodgers, it ensures that a bench player is keeping his engine ticking.

Ralston can hold his head up high, with WhoScored rating his performance in Poland at a respectable 6.83.