Scotland completed a famous comeback to secure a 2-1 victory away to Norway in their European Championship Qualification match yesterday evening, with Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay playing a vital role.
A penalty from Erling Haaland after an hour of toing and froing between the sides looked to have sealed the win for the Norwegians before a two-minute double salvo from The Tartans put them in command of Group A late in the day.
Queens Park Rangers striker Lyndon Dykes will likely get the plaudits for his contribution to both goals, but McTominay was crucial to Scotland’s disciplined performance over the course of the game.
In an evening in which Scotland struggled to retain possession, Scott McTominay was vital in providing composure on the ball.
He ended the match with a remarkable 96.9% passing accuracy and completed every long pass he attempted.
But it was his role in breaking up play and shielding his defence via astute positioning where he excelled yesterday.
McTominay made five interceptions against Norway – more than any player on the pitch – as he helped Scotland keep their hosts at arms length.
The United academy graduate has played in a number of positions for his nation, but his role in the team today was clear: win the ball and keep in ticking over. He did it with aplomb.
It is a role that many Red Devils fans will once have hoped that he could be moulded into at club level, although the positional awareness and ball retention on show from McTominay yesterday has been a rare sight at Old Trafford.
His performances when standing in for Casemiro last season were fairly underwhelming and at times frustrating, although in his defence, he very rarely started back-to-back games after the World Cup, much less enjoyed a run in the team.
It is largely for that reason that McTominay has been linked with a move away from United this summer, with Newcastle manager Eddie Howe a known admirer.
Performances like yesterday’s should serve as a reminder that Scott McTominay can be a valuable asset to plenty of teams, and Manchester United will hope that – should a parting of the ways come about – they receive a fee reflective of his capabilities. Ten Hag will need every penny he can get to challenge Manchester City next season, after all.
(All stats via SofaScore)
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