Oli McBurnie's return to the Premier League has been nothing short of emphatic — and it has reignited a debate that new Scotland head coach Sebastien Pocognoli cannot afford to ignore.

Just four days after learning he had been left out of Scotland's World Cup squad, McBurnie delivered one of the most dramatic moments of the Championship play-off final at Wembley, hooking in his 19th goal of the season deep into stoppage time to send Hull City up and break Middlesbrough hearts.

Now in England's top division, the 30-year-old striker is showing exactly why that decision continues to haunt Scottish football.

A statement performance against United

Hull's 2-0 victory over Manchester United on Saturday turned heads across the Premier League. Goals from Semi Ajayi and Nobel Mendy secured the points, but McBurnie was at the heart of everything Hull did well.

His back-post effort forced a superb save from goalkeeper Senne Lammens, with Ajayi converting the rebound. A goal-bound header was also denied in an outstanding first half from the newly promoted side.

After the break, with Manchester United pressing for a foothold, McBurnie tracked back deep into his own half to win possession wide on the right, skipped past Youri Tielemans and Bryan Mbeumo, and played a composed pass — a moment that had the home crowd roaring and Scotland legend Ally McCoist full of praise.

His statistical output was equally compelling. No Hull City player registered more shots, created more chances, or won more fouls. McBurnie also contested more duels than any team-mate, winning 11 of them, and had racked up 50 high-intensity pressures by the 75th minute.

The Scotland picture

McBurnie has not represented Scotland since March 2021. Across 17 caps, he is yet to score from open play, and only seven of those appearances have been starts — four of them coming under Alex McLeish's troubled second spell in charge.

The Tartan Army's relationship with the Leeds-born forward has been strained for years. Controversy over his apparent reluctance to join the national team, footage that circulated on Sheffield United's TV channel, and a withdrawal from a Scotland squad — only to feature for his club two days later — all damaged his standing with supporters.

Yet his record carries moments worth remembering. McBurnie scored the decisive penalty in Scotland's iconic shootout win over Serbia in the Euro 2020 play-off final in Belgrade. He also started the semi-final win over Israel that paved the way for that historic night.

Scotland, under Steve Clarke, went to the World Cup and exited at the group stage with a single goal scored in three matches. Clarke subsequently resigned, and Pocognoli has since been appointed as the new head coach.

What Pocognoli must decide

Pocognoli has built his reputation on high-intensity, pressing-based football — a style that aligns precisely with what McBurnie delivered against Manchester United. His defensive work rate and ability to function as a lone striker at the highest level make him an asset Pocognoli may struggle to overlook.

McBurnie himself said in December that a return to the Scotland set-up remained his "ultimate goal." With a new coach, a fresh start, and Premier League form to back his case, the argument for recalling him to Pocognoli's first Nations League squad is stronger than it has been in years.

Whether the Tartan Army is ready to give him another chance is a separate question entirely.