Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer heaped praise on midfielder Scott McTominay after the club’s 5-1 Premier League win over Leeds United.
The Red Devils started their new campaign in style against the Whites. Paul Pogba (four assists) and Bruno Fernandes (three goals) were undoubtedly the standout performers.
However, almost every other player was at the top of his game. McTominay had a solid display with one interception, two tackles and three clearances.
Speaking after the victory, Solskjaer was impressed with several players and said that McTominay was excellent, having barely featured during pre-season.
He said: “Scott running on, that was a big thing. He’s not played more than 20 minutes this pre-season, and that was at centre-back.”
“It was one of those where we kept him under wraps because we knew this was a big game for him. Scott is a beast physically.
“He can run all day, and now he’s a proper man out there. I thought he was excellent.”
Sportslens view:
There has been a mixed opinion among the United fans over McTominay, with some believing that the club should sign an elite defensive midfielder.
However, it appears unlikely that there will be more signings made by United this summer, and Solskjaer could settle with his current combination of players.
Nemanja Matic and Donny van de Beek excelled in the 4-0 friendly win over Everton but were only on the bench against Leeds.
McTominay and Fred have been the regular midfield pairing under Solskjaer for a while, with Pogba excelling on the left side of the Red Devils attack.
Similar to McTominay, Fred stepped up against Leeds after a slow start. He capped his performance by finding the back of the net to make it 5-1.
The current season could be a defining one for the pair. It can be said that they are playing for their places as United will bolster their midfield in the long run.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com and WhoScored.com
Read: Why Ruben Neves could be the missing link for Manchester United.
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