Scotland's circumstances dictate must-win status for Northern Ireland clash as Steve Clarke rejects Lawrence Shankland appraisals

On a six-game run without a victory, O’Neill’s visitors offer chance to head into Euro 2024 build-up with optimism

When is a friendly not a friendly? When it arrives on the back of a six-game winless run and involves opponents who are raw, injury-affected and 40 places further down the FIFA rankings.

In these circumstances, it becomes must-win. Add in some other factors, such as being at home in front of an expectant, sell-out crowd and this requirement becomes yet more urgent. Also weighing heavily on Scotland prior to playing Northern Ireland on Tuesday evening is the need to secure a pre-Euro 2024 boost.

The next games are not until the start of June, which is very much on the eve of the tournament. No-one wants to be cramming before such a big test as Germany in the opening match on June 14. Steve Clarke needs to start making some big decisions sooner rather than later. “I know you guys will obviously have your own first 11s, I’ve probably got my first nine,” said the manager at a briefing with reporters at Hampden. “And I’ve got a couple in that that can change a little bit …”

Lawrence Shankland and John Souttar cast a smile during training ahead of facing Northern Ireland on Tuesday.

The manager suggested Lawrence Shankland’s prospects were enhanced rather than dimmed by his 68 minutes on the pitch in the 4-0 defeat against the Netherlands on Friday night. The Hearts striker held the ball up well and contributed to the team’s promising opening hour against the Oranje but rued missing a fine chance just after the hour mark to make it 1-1.

Many concluded he would have to prove himself all over again to Clarke. But the manager has stressed that others in Amsterdam the other night did their reputations far more harm ahead of this summer’s finals – and he wasn't referring to members of the Tartan Army tempted by the nefarious activities on offer in the Dutch capital. “Lawrence was good,” he said. “The reason I played Lawrence against Holland was I have to see how he plays against that level of opposition. And he was good. He’s done himself no harm whatsoever.

“Forget the scoreline,” he added. “Forget the chance that he missed. Lawrence was good in the game. It was a good night for Lawrence. Maybe not a good night for everybody else ...”

He has already disregarded the miss, with the ball striking the top of Mark Flekken’s bar before going over after the striker was through one-on-one with the Brentford ‘keeper. Clarke stressed that it won’t count against Shankland and doesn’t prove the step up to international football is too great for the Hearts striker. “I don’t buy that at all,” he said. “I think that goalscorers are goalscorers. He worked ever so and to get that chance. Nobody is more disappointed than Lawrence that he didn’t take it. But he knows that there will be another chance and he’ll probably score it.”

Former Aberdeen and Kilmarnock forward Josh Magennis (centre) limbers up during Northern Ireland training.

Northern Ireland are more than just the opposition at Hampden. They form the key to whether Scotland can dismiss the recent run of poor results as just the consequences of a slight loss of focus after securing qualification for this summer’s finals or is evidence of an alarming slump that threatens to pollute something being so joyously anticipated.

To be fair to Clarke, he knows that. And perhaps worryingly, so does Michael O’Neill, the Northern Ireland manager, who has referenced the pressure bearing down on the hosts. It’s not often a manager can delight in such a mind-games tactic prior to a friendly.

“I think playing at home when you have not been winning games there’s always a little more scrutiny but they have done magnificently well,” noted O’Neill, when asked if Scotland have a point to prove against his team this evening. They have qualified comfortably from a group with Norway, which could have proved quite difficult, and they’ve had brilliant results here against Spain and some other big nations along the way. So yes, they’ll be keen to prove a point.

“As I said to my players, that’s the nature of it – we have to be ready for that. It will be a test for a young side. But these games are great for us – we have everything to gain, in that it is a team very much in its infancy playing against a very established team.”

Scotland head coach Steve Clarke alongside Anthony Ralston and Ryan Porteous during a MD-1 session at Hampden.

It was possible to imagine Clarke wearing a wry grin at these words. He had already referenced O’Neill’s tendency to “talk his team down”, although it was while being very complimentary about the visitors, who are making their first trip to Hampden in nine years. “It will be competitive, definitely competitive,” Clarke anticipated. “Michael’s team is good. They remind me a little bit of ourselves three years ago when we were trying to develop and build a structure and a style. Michael is very good at talking his team down and saying how young and inexperienced they are.

“I look at the results and I think they don’t get beaten very often by more than one goal. They beat Denmark 2-0 at Windsor Park – we got over excited when we beat Denmark 2-0 at Hampden!” he added. “They went to Romania (on Friday) and got a 1-1 draw with a young side in a tough place to go so we are expecting a tough game and very competitive. Whether you want to say it will be a British derby or whatever, I think it will be a very competitive game.”

Clarke was playing in the English second tier with Chelsea when O’Neill made his English top-flight breakthrough in 1988-89 while still a teenager at Newcastle United. The Northern Irishman then quickly headed north to Dundee United so their paths did not cross on the playing field although they have done plenty of times since, at various grounds on both sides of the Border.

As much he might wish it could be otherwise, plenty is at stake for Clarke as he prepares to take on someone he has “a lot of respect for” in a match setting for the first time. Defeat is unthinkable and even a draw would severely dampen enthusiasm when so much goodwill ought to be in the air.