If one player had guaranteed a starting berth for Tuesday evening’s clash with Croatia, then it was the precocious, ice-cool Billy Gilmour, such was the class of his performance against England at Wembley.
There is a cruel irony, then, that of all the players who could test positive for COVID this week, it was the Chelsea wonder-kid.
All that matters, of course, is that Gilmour is safe, well and makes a full recovery.
Nevertheless, head coach Steve Clarke now has an almighty head scratcher? Who will he bring into the side for a must-win clash against Croatia to fill the void of creativity, calmness and tenacity left by Gilmour?
With John McGinn and Callum McGregor all-but certain to retain their places after super showings in London, Courier Sport assesses Clarke’s options for the third man.
Stuart Armstrong
The obvious place to start is with the man whose place Gilmour took at Wembley. Former Dundee United midfielder Armstrong played 67 minutes in the 2-0 defeat against Czech Republic and, while he did not dazzle, his performance was passable.
The Southampton ace brings energy, drive and a willingness to dribble forward in possession and break the lines.
Scott McTominay
Clarke may decide on a tactical reshuffle, bringing Manchester United’s Scott McTominay back into the centre of midfield, where he played and — in all honesty — looked a little out of sorts against the Czechs.
That would then see either Liam Cooper or Jack Hendry deployed in the back-three. Given the need to control the game, the latter would seem the more likely of those centre-half options.
David Turnbull
Why not replace one promising, hungry, fearless youngster with another? David Turnbull is fresh from a wonderful campaign with a poor Celtic side — 10 goals and eight assists from 39 outings — and high on confidence.
Of all Clarke’s midfielders, the 21-year-old offers the most potent goal threat to a Scotland side which is the only team in Euro 2020 yet to score.
John Fleck
Having recently recovered from COVID, Fleck knows exactly what Gilmour is going through and, while a long-shot to line up against Croatia, is a player who Clarke clearly admires, given the regularity with which he makes squads.
He is also perhaps the most stylistically similar to the talented teenager in terms of an ability to retain the ball in tight spaces and circulate possession. But does he offer enough in the final third?
Ryan Christie / Ryan Fraser
Should Clarke decide to go gung-ho, Celtic’s Christie could be deployed at the tip of a triangle in midfield, acting as a ‘No.10’ behind Adams and Dykes. As could, at a real push, Ryan Fraser.
However, both of those selections would likely leave McGinn and McGregor often tasked with shackling Marcelo Brozovic, Mateo Kovacic and Luka Modric in the heart of midfield. Perhaps not the best idea.
BREAKING: Wembley hero Billy Gilmour ruled out of Croatia game after positive Covid-19 test