Sky Sports pundit Micah Richards has dropped the ultimate praise on one former Manchester United star under manager Erik ten Hag after giving him his “flowers.”
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has overseen a tough start to the Premier League season ahead of the September international break.
The Red Devils kicked off the Premier League season with a 1-0 win over Fulham at Old Trafford in August before succumbing to a 2-1 defeat to Brighton at the Amex.
Ten Hag was dealt a further blow before the international break after Liverpool inflicted a 3-0 defeat over United at Old Trafford this month.
The 54-year-old, who inked a new contract in the summer, will be hopeful of getting the Red Devils’ campaign back on track after the international break.
United return to action on Saturday for their away trip to the St Mary’s against Southampton, with kick-off slated for 12:30pm UK time.
Richards praises former Man Utd star
Former Manchester City defender Micah Richards lavished praise on former Manchester United star Scott McTominay and called him a “brilliant” player.
Scott McTominay came through the United youth academy before breaking into the United first team, with Erik ten Hag a big admirer of the Scottish midfielder.
Despite being a key first-team player under Ten Hag, the 27-year-old ex-United star made his exit from Old Trafford in the summer and signed for Serie A side Napoli.
Speaking on The Rest Is Football, Richards said: “You know what? I think we need to give McTominay his flowers, you know, because there’s so many times he has been lambasted at Man United for being just a workhorse or he’s only in the team because he got nobody else.
“But what he has done in terms of attitude, application, his runs into the box, really fit and good enough for the team, and what he does for Scotland, he’s brilliant so, we actually need to put some respect on his name because I see him play, he makes a difference.”
McTominay transfer a risk for Man Utd
Scott McTominay made three appearances across all competitions for United this season before he completed his move to Antonio Conte’s side in the summer.
The Scotland international had an impressive goalscoring campaign last term for club and country, with McTominay netting 10 times for United in the 2023-24 season.
Rio Ferdinand was unconvinced by United’s decision to sell McTominay in the summer and believed the Napoli midfielder represented the “DNA of the club.”
“I look at Scott McTominay and not every player can be a star, a standout player,” he said on his YouTube channel last month.
“But to win the league you need the likes of John O’Shea, Wes Brown, Darren Fletcher… you need a Julian Alvarez at Man City.
“They might not start every game but they were huge, you need those players and most of them know the DNA of the club, especially ones who have come through the academy, there’s a lot to be said for that.
“It really doesn’t sit well with me. To replace him, you’re going to have to spend £30m or £40m and give him £150,000 a week probably.
“It’s not going to be cheap and it’s a gamble, you don’t know what you’re going to get, whereas with McTominay you know what you’re getting.
“He might not always be a nine out of 10 but invariably he’s a solid seven out of 10 and sometimes he will be an eight out of 10 and get you a goal.”
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox
