McTominay defies doom and gloom to remain upbeat

SCOTT McTOMINAY’S suspension for Scotland’s trip to Russia came with one palpably happy consequence. When Steve Clarke’s team reconvened on the training ground in Edinburgh yesterday morning there was at least one player who bounded onto the pitch unburdened by the dispiriting events that took place in the Luzhniki Stadium on Thursday night.

The Manchester United midfielder was hardly oblivious to the team’s latest defeat — suspended for the game in Moscow, he tuned in to watch television coverage with his family in preparation for his trip north.

Yet without personally being involved in the second-half collapse that saw Scotland concede four times, he has a head start on his team-mates when it came to obeying Clarke’s principal instruction ahead of this evening’s visit to Hampden of San Marino.

As hard as it may seem, the national coach wants his players to push the memory of four consecutive defeats — two apiece to the Russians and world No 1s Belgium — to the farthest recesses of their minds.

The slate isn’t exactly wiped clean but there are three fixtures to fulfil before the Group I schedule concludes and victory against a team whipped 9-0 by the Belgians in midweek will hopefully represent the first restorative step towards the Nations League play-offs next March.

‘Thursday was difficult,’ admitted McTominay. ‘I was watching with my family and, when you’re going through a bad period, you have to accept it and look forward.

‘The manager spoke to us and said our objectives are in front of us. We have to forget the last four games, even though it has been difficult and we haven’t picked up good results.

‘The aim is to do well in the next three games, finish third in the group. That’s vitally important.

‘Come March, we want there to be a positive atmosphere around the group. It’s an industry where you can forget bad results very quickly and move on.’

Fresh of mind and body, McTominay would seem an obvious candidate to go straight into the team for this match.

One of the better performers in what has been a troubled start to the season under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at United, the Scot caught the eye when he pinged home his first Old Trafford goal in a 1-1 draw with Arsenal.

In his position, debutant John Fleck (a doubt for tonight’s match) gained pass marks in central midfield, leading McTominay to swerve the question of whether he might have made a difference.

‘You can never say that, because when you’re there at the ground, it’s completely different to watching on TV,’ he insisted.

‘Whenever I’ve been suspended or injured, that’s been my experience. You can’t put your finger on what the cause has been on the night when you haven’t been there. What I’m looking forward to is coming back and trying to put my stamp on it.

‘Whatever team the manager picks, everybody has to be ready. That’s all I’m focusing on at this moment.’

Fleck played alongside John McGinn and Callum McGregor in Moscow on Thursday, the fifth different midfield combination fielded by Clarke in as many games in charge.

Although that particular area is regarded as the strongest department of the current squad, the coach is still searching for the right blend.

‘I’m very versatile,’ says McTominay. ‘Whether I’m a pivot at No6 or a No8 going box-to-box and scoring goals. It’s a healthy headache for the manager to have all these midfield options in the squad. That can only benefit us going forward.’

Now 22, McTominay broke into the United team under Jose Mourinho and the fact he has now established himself as a regular suggests a strong mentality, regardless of the club’s current travails. Such fortitude seemed to be missing in

midweek as, following a solid first half, Scotland crumbled after conceding the opening goal to Artem Dzyuba.

‘Whatever league you’re playing in, it’s all about how you handle pressure,’ he added. ‘You have to deal with it and react in a positive way.

‘You can’t take too much notice of what’s being said elsewhere. I’ve always had that, no one has drilled it into me. When I was 18, I didn’t play too many games, I was always injured.

‘I had the experience of real lows in football. Now, playing for Manchester United and Scotland, I can look back and feel grateful for the opportunities I’ve been given as well.

‘The rest of the lads here must also be strong otherwise they would not be doing so well at their clubs.

‘This is the international stage and we need to have more of that confidence — not arrogance — you must be prepared to go on the pitch and do yourself justice.

‘If everyone does that, then the team does well. We must push the reset button and get to the stage where we have a happy, positive camp. Even by just coming in and having a good training session the atmosphere was lifted.

‘We are all experienced enough now to realise that whenever you are in a bad period, you need to dig in and stick tight.’

You have to forget bad results and move on. Our aim is to finish third in the group