MY ARABS ARE ANSWER FOR SCOTLAND

MICKY MELLON insisted Lawrence Shankland, Marc McNulty and Nicky Clark should all have their sights set on making Steve Clarke’s Euro 2020 squad.

The Dundee United ace Shanks was part of the squad that clinched their place at next summer’s finals, with their play-off win over Serbia last week.

Scotland boss Clarke has admitted he’s looking for more goals from his team and Mellon thinks that top scorer Clark and McNulty could provide that solution if they get on the Tannadice goal trail.

The United boss said: “People like Shankland, McNulty and even Clark are very good at that type of football.

“They’re both sharp, goalscorers and there’s an opportunity for everybody to try and be involved in what is a fantastic time for the international team.”

Shankland will return from Scotland duty today and will be assessed before a decision is taken whether or not he will feature against Hamilton.

Mellon confirmed: “He got back the early hours of Thursday so we will see what condition he is in.”

Shankland’s only action came when he came off the bench against Slovakia but Mellon admitted that may be an issue in itself, with the trips to Serbia and Israel also thrown in.

The United boss said: “The travelling and time differences can take it out of you.

“You also have to factor in that the boys who haven’t played might not have had the training they need.

“In the past, the problem has been the lack of volume of their training, the travelling and the amount of lying about they have done, not doing a lot beside the ones who have been playing.”

Mellon believes that Scotland’s Euro 2020 qualification has given the whole game a lift.

He said: “Everybody was talking about it and buzzing – we all had a spring in our step.”