Pundit explains why Ten Hag favours ‘always ready’ Man Utd man over ‘more talented’ assets | OneFootball

Scott McTominay celebrates goal for Manchester United

Troy Deeney has explained why Scott McTominay is often given minutes instead of Manchester United players who are “more talented” than he is.

Rasmus Hojlund is the only United player to have scored more goals than McTominay’s eight so far this season. Before the £72million striker signing hit form over the last few weeks – he’s scored in each of the last five games – the Scot was top of the list.

Some of McTominay’s goals have come at very important times. In a three-minute cameo against Brentford in October, he scored a brace to win the game, he also scored both goals in a 2-1 victory over Chelsea, the third goal in a 4-3 win over Wolves and an 86th-minute winner against Aston Villa.

In all but one of those games, he came from the bench to contribute, and Deeney feels he’s invaluable to his side given his ability to have an impact in any situation.

“Scott McTominay stays ready, stays positive throughout all the stick that he gets – that was available last year, stick and stick and stick. Deal with that, Scott,” Deeney said on Match of the Day 2.

“And he comes on, he scores goals – he does the same for Scotland – and he’s always ready, he doesn’t complain and he gets on with his job.”

Indeed, Deeney feels that McTominay’s ability to come off the bench and have an impact, and the fact he does not have any complaints about that being his role, is one reason the workhorse midfielder is given more minutes than some other top assets.

“You’d probably argue that’s why some of the players who are probably more talented don’t get as much time as him,” Deeney added.

Despite having been resigned to a bench role in 11 of the 28 games he’s feature in this season, McTominay has played the seventh-most minutes of any United player so far.

He’s played more often than £86million signing Antony, Casemiro, Mason Mount and Anthony Martial, though some of those players have been injured.

In any case, that shows Ten Hag is always happy to call upon the midfielder, knowing he can give something in every game that others can’t.