3 — that is the number of goals that flew past Angus Gunn at Hampden on Wednesday evening as Switzerland cruised to a comfortable 3-0 Nations League victory. The question now sitting on Sebastien Pocognoli's desk is whether his number one deserves to stay number one ahead of Saturday's match against North Macedonia.

Where Gunn came unstuck

Scotland's task became considerably harder after Jack Hendry's 11th-minute red card for denying Dan Ndoye a goalscoring opportunity. The original penalty award was overturned by VAR to a free-kick on the edge of the box — a let-off that proved illusory. Ricardo Rodriguez stepped up and drove the set-piece past Gunn at the goalkeeper's near side. Sportsound pundit Andy Halliday's verdict was blunt: "Shoulder height and not a lot of pace. For me it's so poor from Angus Gunn."

Nico Elvedi turned in Ndoye's cross to make it 2-0, before Zeki Amdouni's third — a powerful strike — appeared to go through Gunn's arms on its way into the net. Former Scotland forward James McFadden acknowledged the pace of the shot but still felt the San Jose Earthquakes stopper (Gunn is 30 and currently playing his club football in MLS) should have kept it out. "I know it's a powerful strike, but that's one that Angus Gunn can keep out," McFadden said.

To be fair to Gunn, he produced a couple of sharp saves from Ndoye either side of half-time that limited the damage. And the man himself refused to deflect blame. "I'll look back and see what I could have done better and get better for the next game," he told reporters afterwards, adding that he is "always disappointed" when he concedes.

The options behind him are thin

The broader context makes Pocognoli's dilemma a difficult one. Craig Gordon — who made the World Cup squad at the remarkable age of 43 — has since retired from international football, and his replacement in this Nations League campaign is Falkirk's Scott Bain. Halliday put the situation plainly: "I don't think there's somebody that's battering the door down to take his jersey because a lot of them aren't playing football."

Gunn did start all three matches at the World Cup ahead of both Liam Kelly and Craig Gordon, which underlines his standing as the established first choice. But Halliday drew an unflattering comparison with Scotland's recent goalkeeping lineage — Gordon, Allan McGregor, David Marshall, Jim Leighton, Andy Goram — suggesting that the current crop does not inspire the same confidence.

What Pocognoli decides next

Scotland face North Macedonia on Saturday before taking on Slovenia on Tuesday, both in the Nations League. A change in goal seems unlikely given the lack of a ready-made alternative pushing for the shirt, but Pocognoli will surely want a different display between the posts. This was, after all, a deeply disappointing first home match under the new head coach — the red card complicated matters, but the goalkeeping errors compounded a bad night into a damaging one.

The market has already shifted on Scotland's Nations League prospects following the result. Whether Gunn retains Pocognoli's confidence or makes way — however reluctantly — for Bain should become clear when the squad announcement is confirmed ahead of the weekend fixture.

Frequently asked

Who is Scotland's number one goalkeeper right now?
Angus Gunn, who plays his club football for San Jose Earthquakes in MLS, is Scotland's current first-choice goalkeeper. He started all three matches at the World Cup and has kept that position into the Nations League campaign.
Who are Scotland's other goalkeeping options after Craig Gordon retired?
Craig Gordon retired from international football after the World Cup. Falkirk's Scott Bain has been called into the squad for the current Nations League campaign as back-up to Gunn, though concerns have been raised about the depth of quality available.
When do Scotland play next in the Nations League?
Scotland's next Nations League fixture is against North Macedonia on Saturday, followed by a home match against Slovenia on Tuesday.