McTominay is eager to repay Jose
IMPRESSIVE: McTominay in action against Sevilla SCOTT McTOMINAY has pledged to repay Jose Mourinho’s faith after the Manchester United manager surprisingly selected the callow midfielder ahead of Paul Pogba for the Champions League clash at Sevilla.
Eyebrows were raised ahead of kick-off as it was confirmed the manager had chosen to leave £89 million club-record signing Pogba on the bench in favour of a 21-year-old with just one Champions League start to his name.
United rode their luck as dominant Sevilla were thwarted thanks to David De Gea’s man-of-thematch display, with McTominay one of few others to impress during a goalless first leg of the last-16 encounter.
Mourinho lauded the home-grown midfielder after Saturday’s FA Cup fifth-round win at Huddersfield and again was quick to praise the player in Spain, where the Lancastrian vowed to keep improving.
“Obviously it’s so important for me to repay the manager whenever he puts trust in me in these games,” said McTominay.
“The whole team put in a real shift for the manager and going back to Old Trafford we’re in a good position.
“I wouldn’t say the best position because we didn’t win, but we’re in a good position because we can go back and fight for every ball and hopefully we can progress to the quarter-finals. We’re confident against any team we play”
There is little doubt United need an improved second-leg performance, even if McTominay believes they put in a solid enough display at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.
McTominay spoke with an authority that belied his inexperience, with the Champions League knockout round just his ninth first-team start.
“Big nights, big occasions – that’s what you want in your career,” he said.
“They’re the things that make or break you as a footballer and it’s how you deal with those situations that define you as a player and as a character on the pitch.
“Obviously nerves are only natural. It’s how you deal with those nerves and it’s how you put that on a football pitch. Once you’re out there, you just forget about it – it’s a game of football on a pitch that you’ve played on before, so you just take it from there, want to play your game and that is it.”
United will hope to secure a place in the Champions League quarter-finals in the second leg at Old Trafford on March 13, when Sevilla will attempt to reach the last eight for the first time in their history.
Last year they fell at the last-16 hurdle against Leicester but Steven N’Zonzi says the first-leg display gives them belief for the return fixture.
“It’s a pity that we did not score a goal,” the former Blackburn and Stoke midfielder said. “We had chances, but it could not be.
“It is a good result at home. Although we could not score, we are happy. We will continue fighting in the next game and we hope to win at Old Trafford.”
Nerves are only natural