By Sam Preston

United's Scott McTominay posts classy message with Rochdale star Oliver Rathbone

Manchester United squeaked through in the EFL Cup last night after another lacklustre performance, this time against League One outfit Rochdale.

The 5-3 penalty shoot-out victory after a 1-1 draw set up a trip to Stamford Bridge in late October, and the match also saw a former Red return to Old Trafford.

Academy product Oliver Rathbone came back to face his former employers, putting in a strong midfield display in a battling team performance.

Another United academy graduate Scott McTominay, who didn’t play, took to Instagram to post a classy message alongside a picture of him with Rathbone following the match.

Former teammates

Rathbone’s was a name more avid Reds may well have heard plenty about as he came through the ranks at Old Trafford, but he was released in 2016 without playing a first-team match for the club.

Rochdale took a chance on him and he has established himself in the club’s midfield.

Photo by Matthew Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images

McTominay made the grade where Rathbone didn’t manage to and said of the Scotland international in the Guardian: “When I look at Scott McTominay now, still a friend and someone who has had loads of difficulties with injuries but kept coming back for more, I can only admire him for dealing with a massive amount of pressure.

“Maybe Scotty was surprised when he was given the chance, but I was not surprised he took it so well.”

It’s clear to see there’s still a huge amount of affection between the players.

Rathbone certainly did himself justice last night, before being replaced on 81 minutes, impressing up against Paul Pogba.

Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
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Sam Preston
Sam Preston is an NCTJ gold standard news and sports journalist who studied with the Press Association. He also has a 2:1 law with French law degree from the University of Birmingham, which included a year studying at Bordeaux Montaigne University. He is an FA Level 1 football coach who appeared on the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire show in 2018 and has also written digital football content and match-day programme pieces for Colchester United, Mansfield Town and Stockport County.

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