‘McTominay an example for all of us’ – Ten Hag praised Man Utd goal hero
Robin Bairner
- 21 Oct 2023 21:12 BST
- 3 min read
Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay is an example for his teammates to follow, according to manager Erik ten Hag.
Speaking ahead of the Red Devils’ Premier League meeting with Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Saturday, Ten Hag hailed the attitude of the Scotland international as he was awarded a starting berth ahead of Mason Mount.
McTominay, who had been linked with a summer transfer to West Ham, had played a key role in producing a memorable comeback against Brentford prior to the international break, with the 26-year-old academy product easing the pressure on the Dutchman by scoring twice in stoppage-time to seal an incredible 2-1 win over Brentford.
And the midfielder was at it again versus Sheffield United as he opened the scoring after what had been an uninspired first-half display from the Old Trafford side.
Taking down a difficult pass from Bruno Fernandes on his chest inside the box, he sent a volley into the corner of the net to open the scoring.
Shortly afterwards, however, he gave away a penalty after being adjudged to have handled the ball.
Nevertheless, Ten Hag is impressed with the resilience the player has shown.
“Football is about competition. Scott [McTominay] played some very good games, but especially the last one. He is an example for all of us. He didn’t complain about being a substitute, he came in and scored two goals. That’s the attitude I expect,” the former Ajax manager told MUTV prior to kick off.
Are you listening, Jadon Sancho?
Ten Hag’s comments could be seen as a veiled dig at exiled winger Jadon Sancho, who continues to be frozen out of the picture after falling out with the Dutchman in August when his performance in training was criticised.
Sancho claimed that he felt he was made a “scapegoat” in a social media post, and while that has since been deleted, his refusal to apologise to the manager has seen him left on the periphery of the squad.
