Scott McTominay is gearing up to represent Scotland against England despite limited playing time at Manchester United this season. The midfielder has only played nine minutes in the Premier League and was even excluded from the matchday squad in a recent defeat to Arsenal.
McTominay faced challenges securing regular playing time at United last season, and the arrival of Mason Mount and the return to fitness of Christian Eriksen further reduced his opportunities. However, during Scotland’s recent 3-0 Euro 2024 qualifier win over Cyprus, he contributed a goal and an assist while playing in a more advanced midfield role.
During the summer transfer window, West Ham expressed interest in signing McTominay, but their offer was turned down by United, leading them to acquire James Ward-Prowse from Southampton instead.
According to The Telegraph, former United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer played a role in McTominay’s positional “misuse” at Old Trafford. Solskjaer believed that center-backs Victor Lindelof and Harry Maguire required a “double screen” in front of them, which led to his reliance on Fred and McTominay in deeper midfield roles.
Erik ten Hag, the current United boss, reportedly made changing this tactical decision one of his main priorities upon taking charge last summer.
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After Scotland’s victory over Cyprus, McTominay hinted at his desire for a more attacking role at United, saying, “The [Scotland] manager [Steve Clarke] gives me a lot of freedom to get into the box and potentially make things happen. Obviously, he has shown a lot of faith in me, and I just want to make things happen.”
