Former Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay bagged another brace for Napoli on Tuesday night in their heavy 6-2 defeat to PSV Eindhoven
Scott McTominay celebrates scoring once again for Napoli, this time in the Champions League defeat to PSV Eindhoven
Scott McTominay celebrates scoring once again for Napoli, this time in the Champions League defeat to PSV Eindhoven
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It is beginning to sound like a broken record for Manchester United supporters as, once again, Scott McTominay shines for Napoli.
McTominay is firmly among the contingent of former United players who are benefitting from their new surroundings. What has been so impressive from the Scot's perspective is that he has gone from a player who was overlooked to a Ballon d'Or nominee.
Such a meteoric rise does little to hide the envious looks that United fans are shooting over to the Naples club though. When he left, Erik ten Hag spoke about how disappointed he was to be forced to sell McTominay for Financial Fair Play (FFP) reasons and that assessment looks like an understatement, if anything, at the moment.
However, the one small crumb of comfort that can be taken from McTominay adding another two goals to his Napoli tally in a Champions League defeat to PSV on Wednesday, which took him to just 13 behind his all-time United record - which was accomplished in 255 appearances - is that there is a huge chance he would not have replicated such figures at Old Trafford, had he stayed. The Reds never really utilised McTominay in the more advanced position in midfield.
Scotland were the first to trust in him, perhaps out of necessity due to their lack of options in attacking midfield, and he flourished. Since then, that has been his position for Napoli rather than the defensive midfield role which he had become associated with in Manchester.
Under Ruben Amorim, that may have changed and he could have potentially been utilised in one of the No.10 roles. However, McTominay's new role for Napoli now is not one that Amorim uses.
Antonio Conte picks a 4-1-4-1 system with McTominay on the wide left as either a midfielder or a winger, depending on how you look at it. For Amorim, the width comes from the wing-backs.
Bryan Mbeumo and Mason Mount have the luxury to play wider and attempt to stretch the opposition's defence but they are expected to focus themselves in a more central position for the team. This season, McTominay's goals for Napoli have come from wide left and it's unthinkable that Amorim would alter his formation.
Instead, had McTominay still been at United when Amorim arrived, he would have either been played as a No.10, which may have worked but the competition with Mbeumo, Mount and Matheus Cunha could have stalled his progression. Or, the 28-year-old could have been asked to play that deeper role but would have found himself in the same difficulties that Kobbie Mainoo is experiencing trying to unseat Bruno Fernandes.
So for United supporters, that is at least a small shred of comfort. Albeit knowing that McTominay may not have been correctly used throughout his time at the club, regardless of the manager, will come as a shame for most.
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