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£7.2m-rated Saints outcast needs to make the most of late int’l call-up – Opinion

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It seems like out of all the home nations, Scotland just can’t seem to get anything right no matter how hard they try.

Aside from the unbalanced talent pool as well as the worst of luck when it comes to injuries, Steve Clarke’s side faces a mountain to qualify for EURO 2020 with Scotland currently nine points off second-placed Russia in their group with four games to go.

Things look bleak for the Tartan Army, but football has its funny ways of producing surprising moments for the underdog no matter how down in the dumps they are, and tonight against Russia, such a miracle could happen, and for Saints midfielder Stuart Armstrong, he will need it for both his club and country.

The 27-year-old Saints playmaker was a late call-up to Clarke’s squad following an injury to Sheffield United attacker Oliver McBurnie as reported by Sky Sports News.

And with Armstrong severely underperforming this season, the international break could yet again be a chance for the Scottish international to win back fans on his side.

As numbers from Transfermarkt show, the former Celtic star has had little-to-no impact on the Southampton first-team, with Armstrong playing just 65 minutes of football and making zero starts in all competitions for the Saints, but the international break can be an opportunity for the midfielder to impress Ralph Hasenhuttl.

With Scotland playing in a must-win game against Russia tonight, Armstrong, who is valued on Transfermarkt at £7.2m, will need to be at his attacking and creative best for the Tartan Army if they are not only going to have a fighting chance of qualifying for EURO 2020.

And as well as helping his county, Armstrong will need to show to the representatives at Southampton that he has the quality to start in the Premier League and offer something to the Saints that they have seemingly been lacking this season.

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