If you’re a fan of poetic brilliance, then you didn’t have to look any further than Manchester United’s clash with Derby on Thursday night.
Whilst the FA Cup tie at Pride Park certainly had a lot riding on it – there was a plum quarter-final clash against Norwich up for grabs – one of the big talking points was of course Wayne Rooney playing against his former club.
And the United legend came face-to-face with a man who may well be the future of his former side: Scott McTominay. Whilst Rooney no doubt had his moments and was unlucky not to score, it was the latter who dominated the game, and proved why he will prove to be a key performer for both now, and the years to come too.
Watch Manchester United Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below
The Scotland international only returned from his lengthy injury lay-off in the 3-0 win over Watford in late February, and made only his second start since then against Derby. And boy did he show Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side what they’ve been missing.
As per Sofascore, he won ten total duels, made a team-high five tackles, and made the joint-most interceptions with two. Indeed, whilst his defensive work was top-notch, he was equally efficient and influential whilst on the ball too.
His 89 touches were the most of anyone on the pitch, which made his incredibly 98% pass accuracy all the more impressive. He also showed he has a bit of range to his arsenal too, completing all nine of his attempted long balls.
Amidst all the fuss over Paul Pogba, both in terms of his future and potential return from injury, McTominay proved to Solskjaer why he needs to forget about the Frenchman and concentrate on the present. The United academy product’s display was full of power and class, and added a different dimension to the Red Devils in the middle of the park.
Pogba may continue to steal the headlines in the media, but McTominay’s performance should surely ensure Solskjaer spends less time worrying about a player who may be heading for the exit door.
Meanwhile, Wes Brown has exclusively opened up on his time at Manchester United and their situation right now.