Man Utd: Solskjaer ‘has to be kept’ says Higginbotham
There came a time where many were critical of Scott McTominay at Manchester United. The Scotland international became known as Jose Mourinho’s ‘teacher’s pet’ when he was first starting up at Old Trafford. But Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has helped to develop the midfielder who, should he continue this upwards trajectory, could become Roy Keane’s true Old Trafford heir.
Back in February 2018, many Manchester United supporters fumed at Jose Mourinho.
The club were in Champions League action against Sevilla, facing a tricky contest under the lights at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium.
And Mourinho had made the bold call to drop Paul Pogba, leaving the France international on the bench in favour of McTominay.
That night, United were dire to watch. They managed a goalless draw but only courtesy of David De Gea, whose stunning acrobatics prevented them from slipping to defeat.
And McTominay was seen by many to be the problem.
Compared to Pogba, he was lacklustre to watch. A player with more discipline than the France international but not one who would get fans to their feet.
After the match, Mourinho knew the questions were coming. Why was Pogba dropped? Is he finished at United? Has the relationship between manager and player broken down?
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McTominay has evolved into something more than just a defensive-minded midfielder. He’s now more of a box-to-box, capable of shining at both ends of the pitch.
There have been some standout performances from the 23-year-old this season.
McTominay was at his bulldozing best as United beat Chelsea 2-1 at Stamford Bridge in the Carabao Cup, snapping at the heels of Jorginho throughout the contest.
He was similarly impressive in the 2-1 win over Manchester City at the Etihad in December, nullifying the threat of Kevin De Bruyne with a powerful performance.
Another highlight was his goal against City in March. Without flinching he hammered the ball into an empty net from 40 yards, capitalising on some poor positioning from Ederson.
McTominay won United’s own Man of the Match award when they beat Leicester 1-0 at a time where they sorely needed all three points.
And all of his fine displays have sparked talk that he could actually become Keane’s true heir at Old Trafford.
Keane left United in 2005 and, though the club were successful in the years since, nobody has ever come close to replicating his same powerful performances.
McTominay, though, is getting there.
Now Pogba is fit again. Before, that would lead to the conclusion that McTominay would be the fall guy.
Instead, Solskjaer is confident McTominay, Pogba and Bruno Fernandes can all play in the same midfield together.
And if he can continue his stunning rise, the Scot could have the same successful career as Keane at the Theatre of Dreams.