Scotland’s assistant manager Mark McGhee surprised nobody when asked yesterday to identify the principal threat to Scottish hopes in Friday night’s crucial Euro 2016 qualifier at Celtic Park.

There can surely only be a few striking days to Christmessi now.

In Barcelona they joke that if Catalonia wins independence at least Real Madrid will be able to win La Liga. Come next Saturday night even that might be beyond Jose Mourinho and his men.

The Republic of Ireland must contain the threat of a player who is being touted in some quarters as ‘‘the new Gerd Muller’’ if they are to keep their World Cup hopes alive on Wednesday.