Scotland squad rally round struggling star - 'he's around good people who help him'

The Scots require at least one victory to avoid finishing bottom of Nations League A1 and will be without the services of Che Adams, who started the 0-0 draw against Portugal last time out. The Torino hitman has a hamstring issue and withdrew from the squad on Tuesday along with Lewis Morgan as Stuart Armstrong was drafted in for the first time since the Euros. It leaves Shankland to fight out the striking berth with Lyndon Dykes of Birmingham City and Middlesbrough's in-form Tommy Conway.

Shankland has struggled badly for goals at club Hearts this season, scoring just once across all competitions with the Jambos sitting second-bottom of the Premiership. However, Carver has been impressed with the 29-year-old's all-round play and believes the goals will come sooner rather than later.

When asked who in the Scotland camp has been rallying around Shankland, Carver said: "Everybody, everybody, because we know what he's going through. I've watched all the games. I've watched the game against Omonia, because it was my ex-team, and he had a couple of chances, and listen, when you're a good player and you're a goal scorer, eventually that barren spell happens, and he's around good people who help him, and sometimes it's a bit of a relief coming away from a poor spot, because you're in a different environment.

"We all know what he's about. He's a goalscorer, he gets between the posts, he plays inside the 18-yard box, and if he has to play for us, or start, or come on, that's what we want him to do, and we'll encourage him to do that, and the good thing is, he's actually getting into those positions, to actually try and score goals.

"It's just not coming off for him now, where it did last season and the season before that, so everybody's in full support of Lawrence. We love him to bits, and the players around him understand it. You've got Dyksey in there, you've got young Tommy Conway, who's just started his career, and everybody's been supportive. They actually sit next to each other in the dressing room, before training, which is good, and the spirit's good. I sat with Lawrence this morning, and had a good chat with him, and he'll be okay."