Steve Clarke credited for John McGinn and Scott McTominay calls that have been 'copied' by Aston Villa and Manchester United

John McGinn has credited Steve Clarke with turning Scott McTominay into a suddenly prolific goalscorer but joked that he now wants the Manchester United player to ease up a bit.

McGinn is a little miffed. He is meant to be the goalscoring midfielder in Scotland’s ranks.

He too benefitted from Clarke’s decision to push him higher up. As has been the case with McTominay at Manchester United, McGinn’s international form – he has scored 17 times in 58 appearances – saw him utilised in a more forward position for Aston Villa.

McTominay has now scored seven times in 43 appearances, with six of these goals coming in his last six appearances. He has threatened McGinn’s status as the new Ally McCoist.

John McGinn and Scott McTominay applaud the Scotland fans after the Euro 2024 qualifier win over Cyprus in Larnaca last month. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

No one will be complaining who gets the goals if Scotland can beat Spain in a potentially decisive Group A qualifier in Seville tonight.

McTominay arrives in particularly good fettle having struck twice in injury time to secure a victory for Manchester United against Brentford on Saturday having come on as substitute. Some claim he saved manager Erik ten Hag's job with this latest brace.

“We have to give the gaffer credit for that,” said McGinn. “A few years ago I was only really a deep lying midfielder, sometimes playing higher up. Steve Clarke came in here and pushed me higher up. He obviously noticed something in my game that he felt could help the team. And he has echoed that with Scotty, he has pushed him higher up.

“The credit I will give the gaffer, Villa have copied that with me. Ten Hag has copied him as well. He has been brilliant for us, big Scotty. He is so athletic and he gets in the box and hits the ball harder than anyone I have ever played with so it’s no surprise he is getting goals. As long as he slows down just a wee bit!”

McGinn still has plenty of time to create goalscoring records. Just two more goals will see him equal McCoist’s total of 19, although the midfielder admits he's already fearing reaching veteran status. In football that happens a lot earlier than in most lines of work,.

“I’m close to 29 and I’m absolutely devastated by that!" said McGinn. "When the number 3 gets associated with you in football, you are one year away from being finished!

“Next week I’m 29 but I’m learning all the time. I am very fortunate to not only learn off brilliant staff but team-mates as well, looking at how the French and Spanish boys operate. I am learning off them all the time.

“It’s bringing me on and I still think I have more to offer and if I can bring that to Scotland then it will be beneficial to both myself and the team.”

His experience will be crucial in the hostile Estadio de Cartuja this evening. McGinn compared it to playing away against Everton. “In the Premier League you can go to places like Goodison, places where you won’t hear your team-mates or the coaches and you need to kind of fend for yourselves,” he said. “You’re not getting fed to the dogs, you need to start getting used to it.

“I think we will thrive under it. We are really excited, it’s a game you can’t not be excited about. We are confident but not with an arrogance. We are ready to get the job done."