Michael Owen has called for Scott McTominay to be given a more regular role in Manchester United’s side after his latest match-winner against Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon.
McTominay netted in the 86th-minute at Villa Park as United made it three straight victories in the Premier League to boost their Champions League qualification hopes. The 27-year-old was similarly heroic in the wins against Brentford and Chelsea earlier in the campaign and has scored seven goals in 21 top-flight games.
The midfielder was made available for transfer last summer, but a move did not materialise, while former players, including Paul Scholes, have not always been glowing about the Academy graduate. Owen, though, reckons United can only “ignore” McTominay and his worth for so long.
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Problems in the engine room at United have been well documented since before Casemiro was signed and youngster Kobbie Mainoo burst on to the scene, with McTominay and long-term partner Fred often picked apart by Scholes and other TV pundits for their performances in previous years.
Assessing the 41-cap international last season, Scholes told Sky Sports: “McTominay was always trying to run with the ball, which was ridiculous. The quality in the middle of the pitch was nowhere near good enough, but we’ve seen that for the last few years with these two [McTominay and Fred].”
Scholes softened his stance on the Academy graduate in the following months, but his one-time teammate Owen has gone one step further. Speaking about McTominay after Sunday afternoon’s result and impact, he told Premier League Productions that the Scotland international could be “absolutely anything” for Erik ten Hag’s side.
“He has got attributes that you can’t really teach,” commented Owen.
“His fitness levels, his size, his strength and the way he marauds forward. It’s a fascinating conundrum because he has almost burst into my mind now and I’m thinking; ‘Wow, you have to find a place for this type of player’. I never had him down by this type of player before, this real marauding midfielder.”
Owen then added: “With his size and knack of scoring goals, you can only ignore that for so long. Okay, so he might not get ahead of Bruno [Casemiro] or Casemiro, at the moment, but if he keeps on doing what he’s doing then you are going to have to find a role in the team. If he keeps improving, then he can be absolutely anything.”
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Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
