21 November 2023 , 11:06
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Erik ten Hag has been told there is "no shame" in playing Scott McTominay in a different role just months after Gary Neville questioned his treatment of the Manchester United midfielder.
McTominay plays a more attacking role for Scotland, in contrast to his United duties where he has more defensive responsibility. However, after netting seven goals for his nation during Euro 2024 qualifiying, the calls for Ten Hag to use the 26-year-old further up the pitch are growing louder.
Ten Hag is by no means against the idea of using McTominay in a more attack-focused role, with the United academy graduate bagging three Premier League goals this term. However, former Scotland boss Alex McLeish has urged the Dutchman to follow the example of current Tartan Army manager Steve Clarke more often.
"I wondered why Manchester United and Ten Hag didn’t take a leaf out of Steve Clarke’s book in terms of what Steve’s done with him," McLeish told BBC Radio Scotland. "He’s played him in the back three also and as a holding midfielder, but as an attacking midfielder, it seems to be more of his niche.
"So your thinking, maybe when he goes back to Man Utd, Ten Hag will play him in an attacking, forward role. There’s no shame in what Ten Hag thought his best position would be, but you can learn from other things and, for me, he should have looked at the way Steve Clarke has been playing him."
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McTominay has endured a turbulent season already, with Neville suggesting that Ten Hag was deliberately trying to 'manage him out of the club' back in August. The comments came after the Scotsman was left on the bench for the 2-0 defeat away at Tottenham despite many feeling he'd have been the perfect profile to change the game in United's favour.
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Scott McTominay plays a different role for club and country (Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)"What's clear is that Manchester United's midfield needs bolstering," Neville told Sky Sports. "Ten Hag wants a number six who can play alongside Casemiro and, at the moment, the club can't get players out to be able to fund that.
"If they look at the first two weeks, they have to fund it or there will be a big problem. What is clear is that Ten Hag doesn't want to revert back to Scott McTominay.
"With Fernandes on the right, the midfield looks all over the place and the front three doesn't look capable of functioning as one. Does he go back to McTominay? Ten Hag has made five substitutions and not used him. It's almost as if he is managing him out of the club."