SHANKLAND A HUGE THREAT TO STEELMEN

RICKI LAMIE has watched Lawrence Shankland transform his career over the three years since they were team-mates at Morton. His admiration for the Dundee United striker is sincere. So, too, is Lamie’s recognition of the threat Shankland provides to Motherwell’s hopes of earning a first win in eight games today. In 2017, Shankland joined Morton on loan from Aberdeen and scored four times in a four-month stay. Few then would have predicted the course ourse subsequently taken. Two hugely successful years at Ayr United preceded a move to Tannadice and four Scotland caps. Shankland (top) ) scored in Wednesday ’s 2-0 win over Kilmarnock, his first goal for Micky Mellon’s men since September. er. Lamie hopes that at return to form does d not t prove ominous for Motherwell, who head to Tayside seeking to build on a hard-fought 0-0 draw against Aberdeen. ‘He’s just a natural finisher,’ said Lamie of Shankland. ‘That’s why there’s all the speculation round him. He’s also had his recognition in the national side, rightly so. ‘He was low in confidence (at Morton) and trying to find his way. But you could see his quality shining through.’ Blanking out Curtis Main and Sam Cosgrove was decent preparation for Motherwell’s defenders, but Lamie knows absolute concentration is needed against Shankland. ‘You see him sometimes drift through games and the next thing he pops up with the winner,’ said the centre-back. ‘He’s added a lot to his game. His hold-up play and his wee touches round the corner are very clever. He buys fou fouls. He deserves the r recognition he’ he’s getting. ‘U ‘United have t top players at t that end of the p pitch. I’ve w watched a c couple of their ga games this sea season and even here against us the they kept us to ve very few c chances and managed to nick a goal late in the game, s so they’re a th threat.’ Sha Shankland’s United team-mate M Marc MN McNulty, who also scored against Killie, hopes both players can win further Scotland call-ups ahead of Euro 2020. ‘Obviously I would love to get back in the Scotland set-up,’ said McNulty (bottom), who won the last of his two caps in a 2-0 win in San Marino in March 2019. ‘But I just need to concentrate on playing well every week for United and helping push the club up the table. Shanks will want to stay in the national team set-up as well. Both of us want to do that.’