‘Scott to get better’

YOU don’t play for Manchester United every week at 22 if you can’t handle pressure.

So when it comes to dealing with the burden of failure in a Scotland shirt, Scott McTominay isn’t easily fazed.

The Old Trafford midfielder is well aware of the national team’s plight.

Suspended, he was forced to watch the 4-0 capitulation to Russia through the cracks in his fingers on Thursday night.

But McTominay (above) is used to facing adversity head on.

Not only is he at the heart of a United team faing one of the most turbulent spells in their history – at 18 he defied those who wondered if he’d every make the grade after a growth spurt that left him sidelined.

He said: “There’s pressure, whichever league or team you’re in.

“You have to deal with it in a positive way and react positively to it. No-one drilled mental strength into me. When I was 18 I didn’t play a lot of games, I was always injured.

“I had growing pains and things like that so I had the experience of real lows in football.

“I can always look back to that moment and think it was bad – but now I’m playing for Man United and Scotland.”

McTominay hopes he can lift spirits against San Marino tonight.

The lowest Scotland crowd ever for a qualifier at Hampden is expected but McTominay added: “In football, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. When you’re going through a bad spell, you have to somehow try to look forward.

“Come March in the play-offs we want to be in a positive frame of mind and have a positive atmosphere in the group.”