Kyle Lafferty is still a goalscorer – Niall McGinn

Niall McGinn has backed the returning Kyle Lafferty to help solve Northern Ireland’s goalscoring problems in their upcoming Nations League fixtures.

Lafferty is back in Ian Baraclough’s squad for the first time since last September, reward for scoring eight goals in 14 Scottish Championship appearances to help fire Kilmarnock back to the top flight.

A Northern Ireland side who have scored only two goals in their last five competitive fixtures could certainly use some of that as they prepare for a Nations League quadruple with fixtures against Greece, Cyprus (home and away) and Kosovo in the next fortnight.

Lafferty, 34, is Northern Ireland’s second-highest scorer with 20 in 85 appearances and though he has not bagged an international goal since 2016, McGinn believes his recent form shows the time is right to end that drought.

“Kyle’s a goalscorer and he always has been,” McGinn said. “He’s come back to Kilmarnock and hit the ground running and helped them get back in the Premiership. With Kyle, he’s not lacking in confidence as you would say.

“With Josh (Magennis) being out injured and a couple of others missing it’s an opportunity for Kyle to come in and impress. He finished the season strongly, scoring goals, and we’re delighted to have him back.

“You definitely hear him before you see him, that’s for sure. He’s a great guy to have about the place, he always has a laugh and a joke at the right time.

“I think for him he just wants to get that next international goal that he’s been craving for a long time and hopefully with these games coming up he gets that opportunity.”

While Lafferty enjoyed promotion, McGinn has come into this international break after relegation with Dundee, a cruel end to a tough campaign in which