Scotland: Four key questions for Steve Clarke as he names squad

It’s not often Scotland have been able to say this, but things are looking brighter at the other end of the park.

Che Adams started the ball rolling with the opening goal last time out in the 2-1 win over Belarus and followed that up on Sunday by scoring in Torino’s 2-2 draw with Pisa – only his third of the season.

George Hirst took his total to five for the campaign with a double as Ipswich Town won 4-1 away to Queens Park Rangers.

Lyndon Dykes continues to come off the bench for Championship rivals Birmingham City, but his place in the squad was surely secured with last month’s late clincher at home to Greece.

Kieron Bowie, though, has gone off the boil with Hibernian, so could the fourth striker space be up for grabs?

Even though his Middlesbrough side are sitting second in the Championship despite Saturday’s 3-0 defeat by Watford, Tommy Conway has also gone through a nine-game barren spell and missed out last time.

Mikael Mandron’s double in St Mirren’s 4-1 Premier Sports Cup semi-final win over Motherwell on Sunday has led to calls, from his club at least, for the French-born 31-year-old to be called up by Scotland for the first time since under-20 level.

However, he faces stiff competition from a reborn Lawrence Shankland, whose revival continues with Premiership leaders Hearts, his goal in Saturday’s 4-0 demolition of Dundee taking him to the top of the domestic scoring charts.