Marc McNulty is determined to hit the goal trail for Dundee United between now and the end of the season to keep his Euros dream alive.
The Tangerines beat Aberdeen at Tannadice on Saturday with a well-deserved 1-0 win but despite that, Micky Mellon’s men will see out the campaign in the Premiership bottom six.
United still have plenty to play for in their remaining matches with McNulty, who last featured for Scotland two years ago, also harbouring personal ambitions, just like strike partner Lawrence Shankland.
Frustrations in attack
The latter was a surprise omission last week from Steve Clarke’s squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers but McNulty insists that in football, things can change in the blink of an eye.
And the pair are determined to make their mark for the club to give themselves a chance with their country this summer.
The on-loan Reading striker said: “We aren’t in the squad obviously but speaking for Lawrence, he is definitely good enough.
“He has just found it a bit frustrating this season that he has not scored goals, like myself.
“There are a few games left, so we’ll just have to knuckle down, score goals and then see what happens from there.
“For everyone who has not made that squad, you never know what can happen in football – it changes quickly.
“You just need to make sure you are ready if need be.”
Dundee United duo are team players
McNulty conceded that although he and Shankland may not have netted the amount of goals they would have liked this season for United, they have still been working their socks off for the team.
The 28-year-old said: “We are probably not a team that creates a lot of chances every game which can be frustrating for us strikers.
“That’s just the way it has been. The manager wants us to press from the front, try to nick it higher up the pitch and then create chances.
“We have been getting better at that recently. Hopefully in the remaining games of the season we can score a few goals between us.”
McNulty could be heard giving a bit back to his manager on Saturday but the player insists everyone at the club knows he loves nothing more than having a moan.
Smiling, he added: “It keeps me on my game, moaning at everybody!
“The manager wants us to press every single ball and I am sure you can hear him from the sidelines, egging us on to chase that ball.
“It is good for us I suppose if we win it high up the pitch as it is closer to try to score a goal. So it is a good way of playing.”
Goal of the highest quality
United though certainly did not have a lot to moan about after their convincing win over Aberdeen.
There was a big scare for the home side early on when a Dean Campbell shot was deflected onto Benjamin Siegrist’s right-hand post but after that, the Dons rarely threatened.
Shankland had a great chance shortly before half-time but his dinked effort was stopped on the line,
However, Aberdeen could do nothing to prevent United netting with a goal of the highest quality in the 61st minute.
MOTM | Today’s match sponsor Norman Jamieson Ltd Man Of The Match has been awarded to Adrian Sporle. #DUFCLive pic.twitter.com/7hOlSziq1Q
— Dundee United FC (@dundeeunitedfc) March 20, 2021
The slickly-worked move began with Jeando Fuchs winning possession on the byline, with the ball breaking to Shankland, who played it to the midfielder with a cheeky back-heel.
Fuchs then passed to Ian Harkes, who fed the ball to Shankland in the Dons box with the striker teeing up Adrian Sporle to calmly fire past Joe Lewis.
It was enough to secure all three points but McNulty admitted the joy of winning was also tinged with a sense of sadness over what might have been.
McNulty said: “That was a very satisfying win but there is a bit of disappointment as well not being in the top six.
“I know we have just come up, but there is a good enough squad there to be in the top six.”
We stand today with Glen Kamara, and others who suffer at the hands of racism.
Today’s decision to stand rather than take the knee is a show of solidarity by our players to enhance the message that racism in any form is unacceptable and has no place anywhere in society. pic.twitter.com/kKdR6S8BHd
— Dundee United FC (@dundeeunitedfc) March 20, 2021
Before kick-off, the United players stood instead of taking the knee as a sign of solidarity with Rangers Glen Kamara and others who have suffered at the hands of racism.
McNulty added: “It was just to raise awareness again.
“Taking the knee has been happening for a while now.
“One of the boys had mentioned it before in the changing-room about what we could do to raise awareness obviously with Glen Kamara.
“We thought that was the right thing to do so that’s what we have done.”