MARK WARBURTON has backed Rangers duo Andy Halliday and Jason Holt to push for a place in the Scotland squad.

The midfielders were instrumental at Ibrox last season as the Gers lifted the Championship title and Petrofac Training Cup.

Both have maintained their fine form in the Premiership this term but have been unable to inspire Warburton’s side as they have slumped to seventh in the standings.

Halliday has come back into the starting line-up in recent weeks after Joey Barton’s suspension while Holt has returned after a spell out of action with an ankle injury.

Light Blues Captain Lee Wallace and winger Barrie McKay have been named in Gordon Strachan’s squad for the World Cup qualifier with Lithuania next weekend.

And Warburton believes Halliday and Holt have the ability to make their own impression in the international arena.

He said: “A manager is always going to talk up his own players but you look at Andy Halliday and how he has risen to the challenge.

“He had a point to prove and when he was captain against Queen of the South he was outstanding and he maintained it again on Sunday.

“He has shown real consistency. He can play a variety of positions and I’m never going to tell Gordon what to do but I’m sure he’ll know the flexibility that Andy provides.

“And Holty covers distance and gives us so much energy. In training, we just wind him up and let him go. He never stops.

“He has quality, an eye for goal and a weight of pass and movement that makes him a tremendous player.

“When I hear that Scotland has no young players coming through...there are great players away from us at other club and here I look at young Barrie McKay, I look at Holty, Andy Halliday and Lee Wallace, who is delighted to be back in the squad.”