SCOTLAND: Four key questions will be asked of Steve Clarke when he names the team

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

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

George Hirst took his goal tally to five this season with a brace as Ipswich Town won 4-1 away to Queens Park Rangers.

Lyndon Dykes continues to come on as a substitute appearance for Championship rivals Birmingham City, but his place in the team is certainly secured after last month’s final play-off game at home to Greece.

Kieron Bowie, though, has been out of sorts for Hibernian, so could a fourth striker’s space be up for grabs?

Although his Middlesbrough side sit second in the Championship despite Saturday’s 3-0 defeat to Watford, Tommy Conway has also had a barren nine-game spell and missed the last time out.

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

However, he faces stiff competition from reborn Lawrence Shankland, whose renaissance continues at Premier League leaders Hearts, where his goal in the 4-0 win over Dundee on Saturday moved him top of the domestic scoring charts.