As stated by the Guardian, Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay delivered another exceptional performance for Scotland, moving them closer to qualification for the 2024 European Championship.
The 26-year-old was the standout player for the Scottish national team, contributing a goal and an assist in a convincing 3-0 win against Cyprus in Group A, earning him the man-of-the-match title.
While typically deployed in a deeper midfield position at his club, Steve Clarke utilized McTominay differently for Scotland, positioning him as one of two supporting forwards alongside Che Adams in a 3-4-2-1 formation.
In this role, McTominay had the freedom to make forward runs, and he excelled in this role. He linked up effectively with John McGinn for Scotland’s first goal.
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Liverpool’s Andrew Robertson delivered a precise cross from the left, which McGinn redirected with a header toward the far post, where McTominay was perfectly positioned to score Scotland’s opening goal.
This performance brought McTominay’s goal tally to six, making him one of the top goal-scorers in the Euro qualifiers alongside his club teammate Rasmus Hojlund and Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku.
McTominay and McGinn combined once more for Scotland’s third goal in the first half, with the United star this time providing the assist.
He stretched the Cyprus defence before cutting inside and finding the Aston Villa captain, who skillfully curled the ball into the net.
Later, McTominay exploited a gap in Cyprus’ midfield, embarking on a skilful run towards the 18-yard area but narrowly missed the target with a shot from his weaker foot that grazed the left post.
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In the final quarter of the 90 minutes, he came close to scoring his second of the night, hitting the post with a long-range effort.
McTominay displayed an impressive all-around performance, although it was against notably weaker opponents. He’s likely hoping that his standout showing for the national team catches the attention of his club manager, Erik ten Hag.
Currently, McTominay finds himself further down the pecking order, behind players like Casemiro, Christian Eriksen, Mason Mount, and Sofyan Amrabat. This has led to speculation about his long-term future at the club.
With Mount and Amrabat sidelined for the time being, McTominay will be eager to make a strong impression on Ten Hag when club football resumes.
This is particularly important since he has only played seven minutes in the Premier League this season.
