McGinn nets for Scotland as Gundogan pulls out of Germany squad

Having looked at the bulk of Friday’s matches in our first Scout Notes of the day, we now turn our attention to three more international fixtures that were contested at the back-end of last week.

Notes from Saturday’s games will follow this evening.

Subscribers can view data on some of the matches listed below in our Members’ Area, with details available here.

Germany 2-4 The Netherlands

• Ilkay Gundogan (£5.3m) – 29 minutes
• Bernd Leno (£5.0m) – 0 minutes
• Virgil van Dijk (£6.5m) – 90 minutes
• Georginio Wijnaldum (£5.5m) – 90 minutes
• Davy Propper (£5.0m) – 32 minutes
• Nathan Ake (£4.9m) – 9 minutes
• Patrick van Aanholt (£5.6m) – 0 minutes

Having emerged as a 61st-minute substitute in Germany’s 4-2 home defeat to the Netherlands on Friday, Ilkay Gundogan (£5.3m) has now returned to Manchester.

Die Mannschaft reported on Sunday that Gundogan had been suffering from an illness after arriving in Belfast ahead of Monday’s meeting with Northern Ireland and has now been allowed to return to his club.

Gundogan will have a full week to recover before City take on Norwich next Saturday evening and his lack of minutes over the international break may come into Pep Guardiola’s reckoning in Gameweek 5, particularly with the league champions away at Shakhtar Donetsk the following Tuesday.

Liverpool pair Virgil van Dijk (£6.5m) and Georginio Wijnaldum (£5.5m) haven’t had the luxury of a rest, however, with both lasting the full 90 minutes in Hamburg and now set to be involved in the Euro 2020 qualifier in Estonia on Monday evening.

Van Dijk underscored his aerial threat with two headed chances, one of which was saved by Manuel Neuer and immediately preceded Jonathan Tah’s own goal to put the Dutch 2-1 in front.

Van Dijk prevented a certain goal from Timo Werner but the Netherlands certainly weren’t watertight at the back, with Germany racking up five big chances.

Wijnaldum, who tends to be afforded more attacking freedom when playing for his country, had an excellent opportunity saved but turned provider for the visitors’ third goal when teeing up Donyell Malen.

Davy Propper (£5.0m) and Nathan Ake (£4.9m) both made second-half appearances as substitutes but Patrick van Aanholt (£5.6m) and Bernd Leno (£5.0m) failed to make it off the bench.

View player and team stats from Germany v the Netherlands in our Members’ Area.

Scotland 1-2 Russia

• Andrew Robertson (£6.9m) – 90 minutes
• Ryan Fraser (£7.3m) – 90 minutes
• Oli McBurnie (£5.9m) – 90 minutes
• Scott McTominay (£5.0m) – 78 minutes
• John McGinn (£5.6m) – 62 minutes
• Kenny McLean (£4.9m) – 28 minutes
• Robert Snodgrass (£5.4m) – 0 minutes
• Stuart Armstrong (£5.4m) – 0 minutes

Scotland’s chances of qualifying for next summer’s European Championship via the conventional route now look slim.

Steve Clarke’s side slumped to a 2-1 home defeat to Russia on Friday evening, with six Premier League players handed minutes.

Three of that half-dozen-strong group played a part in Scotland’s early goal: Ryan Fraser‘s (£7.3m) cross being spilled by Russian goalkeeper Guilherme after the distraction of a near-post dart from Oli McBurnie (£5.9m), with John McGinn (£5.6m) firing in from six yards.

Fraser and Andrew Robertson (£6.9m) had started fairly brightly down the Scotland left but played less of a part as the game wore on and indeed both players were involved in Russia’s two goals: it was Robertson who inadvertently bundled the ball into Artem Dzyuba’s path just before half-time, while Fraser was dispossessed in the move that led to Stephen O’Donnell’s own-goal.

Robertson came in for some criticism for his performance and the Scotland captain said after full-time:

Being criticised, rightly or wrongly, it’s maybe stronger now that I’m captain. But these are things I’m made for. If people criticise me, it’s fine. I’d prefer they didn’t because it means I’ve put in a good performance – but sometimes that doesn’t always go your way.

Some games as captain I’ve not been good enough, some I have been, but that’s me to look at my own performance. That’s what I’ve looked at over the last few games.

I don’t like getting beaten anyway, but on Friday I maybe dwelled on it longer than usual. I’ve learned a lot. Good things and bad things.

Fraser, Robertson and lone striker McBurnie lasted the whole 90 minutes, while McGinn, who also faded after a bright start, was replaced by Kenny McLean (£4.9m) just after the hour-mark.

Scott McTominay (£5.0m) started the game in central midfield but Robert Snodgrass (£5.4m) and Stuart Armstrong (£5.4m) didn’t make it off the bench.

Scotland face Belgium this evening at Hampden Park in another Euro 2020 qualifier.

View player and team stats from Scotland v Russia in our Members’ Area.

Wales 2-1 Azerbaijan

• Wayne Hennessey (£4.4m) – 90 minutes
• Chris Mepham (£4.5m) – 90 minutes
• Daniel James (£6.1m) – 90 minutes
• Neil Taylor (£4.5m) – 80 minutes
• Harry Wilson (£6.0m) – 63 minutes
• Ben Davies (£5.5m) – 10 minutes
• Danny Ward (£4.5m) – 0 minutes

Daniel James (£6.1m) was handed a full 90-minute run-out as Wales secured a narrow win over Euro 2020 qualifying Group E whipping boys Azerbaijan.

James looked sporadically lively down the left flank and flashed a 65th-minute shot wide, having also provided a couple of teasing crosses across the visitors’ box.

Wales’ performances were below-par all-round, however, and Ryan Giggs’ unconvincing side had to rely on a late Gareth Bale header to keep alive their hopes of qualifying for Euro 2020.

Harry Wilson (£6.0m) failed to make much of an impression as his set-piece deliveries fell flat, while Neil Taylor (£4.5m) – selected at left-back ahead of Ben Davies (£5.5m) – and Wayne Hennessey (£4.4m) were both culpable for Azerbaijan’s equaliser: a slip from the Villa left-back letting in goalscorer Mahir Emreli, who finished at the second attempt after a fumble from Hennessey.

Bournemouth stopper Chris Mepham (£4.5m) played the whole game at centre-half.

Wales face Belarus on Monday evening, so owners of James et al will be hoping their Fantasy assets are handed breathers for this international friendly.

Giggs said of his team selection ahead of tonight:

Everyone’s come through the other night. Some players needed games and minutes and the guys who weren’t involved have trained well. So everyone’s ready to go.

It’s constantly a juggling act. Tom Lawrence has got a game Friday, Ethan Ampadu’s not played a lot of games. Also, bring a little bit of freshness and how best we can hurt the opposition. All these things apply when you pick teams.