Tom Cairney believes that one Manchester United player offers something that others rarely do right now, and insisted that it is a matter of time before Erik ten Hag starts him more often.
Manchester United appear to have turned a corner, on and off the pitch, in more recent times. And the latest impressive result came at the weekend as United beat Aston Villa at Villa Park.
Once again, it was Scott McTominay who got his side across the line. The 27-year-old is Manchester United’s top goalscorer in the Premier League this season, having found the back of the net seven times already.
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McTominay’s record is all the more remarkable because he has only started 12 games. He has followed in the footsteps of former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer by proving to be something of a super sub at Old Trafford.
But speaking on The Footballer’s Football Podcast, Tom Cairney suggested it has to only be a matter of time before McTominay gets the chance to start more often again.
“He has obviously gone further back but sometimes you can see [he used to be a striker]. He is quite sharp with his finishing in the box. It’s like touch, bang. I remember the one at Brentford at home when they came back. I don’t think that ever leaves you. And his record at international record is ridiculous as well, he’s Scotland’s top goalscorer by a mile,” he said.
“At some point the manager surely has to have a feeling like ‘oh my god, surely I need to get this guy in my team’. Goalscoring midfielders are rare these days.”
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McTominay has been directly involved in a goal in each of the last three league games. And yet, none of those appearances have seen him on the pitch for longer than half an hour.
In fact, he has not played for more than 45 minutes since before Christmas. Perhaps ten Hag feels that he would be better off continuing to use McTominay that way.
The Scot is not someone who has always been able to silence his doubters for Manchester United. And the fact he does score goals does not address all of his limitations.
But it certainly makes him an extremely valuable player for Manchester United to have up their sleeve.