Great Scott is filling boots of handy Ander
THE Chelsea supporters were baying and Frank Lampard was demanding. Scott McTominay had cynically upended Mateo Kovacic midway inside the United half in the 77th minute and was already on a booking.
McTominay avoided a second yellow and an irascible Lampard rejected Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s diplomatic explanation. It was McTominay’s
second foul. Solskjaer, his hands stuffed into his pockets, swivelled and smiled smugly at his bench. “I’m getting the news via a load of Chelsea fans in front of me who think it’s my fault he’s not been sent off,” Gary Neville said on commentary. In the end, Lampard broke out into a smile.
Several Reds supporters scoffed at the suggestion McTominay could replace Ander Herrera yet he has already developed the snide streak that endeared the Basque during his five years at the club. Roy Keane had a penchant to, as he mischievously put it, ‘get in amongst’ opponents and McTominay’s tempo-setting tackle on Kovacic on 11 minutes cowed the Croat.
McTominay bossed the Chelsea midfield like Herrera used to. Those of us in the press box did not need to consult replays or live text rundowns to determine who set Daniel James haring towards the Matthew Harding End to procure the first-half penalty. McTominay’s purposeful passing has become a theme of United’s recent resurgence in a midfield that had become too synonymous with lateral thinking. Nemanja Matic, his picture still adorning the path along the Stamford Bridge east stand, is not missed.
And neither is Paul Pogba. It is not contrary to question Pogba’s ability; United are poorer without him and he remains their most talented player. It was not lost on Jose Mourinho during Pogba’s two-month absence with a hamstring strain two years ago, either: “You can clearly see Manchester United this season before Paul injury and after Paul injury.”
Pogba’s devoted following is easily affronted. Objectively, he has performed once for United in six starts since August – against Chelsea in the opener. He has not managed a club goal from open play in nearly nine months and, in the dreadful draw with Arsenal, Pogba’s lack of bravery was stark. His success rate for offensive, aerial and loose ball duels were all recorded at 50 per cent or under. McTominay beat him in every area.
Whenever United next restock their midfield, McTominay already appears undroppable. Some of his old reserve teammates cannot quite fathom how he has ended up as a first-teamer at United, indebted to the Scot’s late growth spurt and Mourinho.
“He had loads of difficulties with injuries,” his former team-mate and friend Ollie Rathbone, said last month. “He had a tough couple of years but he worked really hard in the gym and he got given his chance and he took it.”
McTominay has also rekindled his budding partnership with Fred. “He’s had some great games in midfield with Scott against PSG and Arsenal, for example, and we’re just waiting for that to flourish,” Solskjaer said last month. It has flourished of late, albeit against relegation fodder and a heavily rotated Chelsea.
The comparison McTominay is saddled with is Darren Fletcher, though he and Fred have assembled