Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay has addressed fans’ calls for him to feature higher up the pitch as a striker.
Erik ten Hag sent on Scott McTominay when the situation was dire against Brentford and his two goals in ten minutes rescued the game and the win for the Red Devils.
The Scotsman’s two goals saved the day for Manchester United and certainly lifted the pressure off Ten Hag going into the international break.
McTominay has six goals for Scotland in the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers and is level with United forward Rasmus Hojlund in the goalscoring charts.
McTominay on playing as a striker
Speaking to the United website, the 26-year-old was asked about his goalscoring instincts and seemingly debunked a myth about his academy days.
“People always said: ‘You played as a striker as a kid.’ I never played as a striker,” McTominay revealed.
“I played two games there with [former Reserves coach] Warren Joyce because we had no striker. So, whenever I score a goal, people always say: ‘He used to be a striker, that’s why.’
“I never used to be a striker! I’ve always been a midfield player, a number eight, so it is funny when you hear stuff like that.”
McTominay should be deployed further forward
Despite his frustrations at the rumours he played as a striker in his academy days, the midfielder does have an undeniable knack for being at the right place at the right time in the penalty box.
If McTominay does want to feature more prominently for Ten Hag, playing as a back-up striker may well be his calling.
When asked about his striker’s instinct, he said: “Just being alive in the box and being quick with it and not being on your heels or sleeping in the box [is key] – whenever there’s a chance for a goal to go in the back of the net you need to take it. I’ve always thought like that.”
The midfielder has an almost uncanny knack of scoring goals, the hope will be he can carry this on when United take on Sheffield United next weekend.
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