Scott McTominay hailed as ‘genius’ as Napoli seize control of Serie A title race | OneFootball

Scott McTominay has been branded a "genius" by the Italian media after his brace against Torino gave Napoli control of the Serie A title race.

McTominay's double took him to 11 goals for the season and above Denis Law, who scored 10 for Torino in 1961-62, as the most prolific Scottish player in a single season in Italy's top league.

Napoli now lead second-placed Inter - shock 1-0 losers at home to Roma before their title rivals kicked off on Sunday night - by three points with four games to play.

McTominay guaranteed that advantage with first-half goals against Torino and La Gazzetta dello Sport, Italy's biggest and most respected sports newspaper, had no hesitation in underlining the importance of the Scotland midfielder who has scored five goals in three games.

Gazzetta called McTominay a "genius" and "Maradona's hero", a reference to the club's former late Argentina great who twice won the Scudetto during his career in Naples.

It has been a remarkable campaign for the 28-year-old who started the season on the Manchester United bench and left Old Trafford in August for £25.7m.

McTominay was associated with the United academy from the age of five and made 255 senior appearances for the Red Devils.

On putting Napoli in charge for their second Serie A title in three seasons, McTominay told DAZN: "It would mean the world, obviously the squad did it two years ago.

"We mustn't get too high, as now we are leading the race, but we've got to keep calm, keep everything relaxed and go game by game.

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Napoli closed in on Serie A success (Getty Images)

"This game isn't important unless we win the next and the one after that. So let's stay calm and see where it gets us."

Napoli's remaining games are all against teams in the bottom half of the table.