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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Liam Wood

Forgotten man has answered lingering Manchester United question for Erik ten Hag

Lightning struck twice for Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay during the international break.

Or should that be four times? A double double for Scotland against Cyprus and European giants Spain means the forgotten Academy graduate is the toast of his country right now and the Tartan Army can already dream about qualifying for the Euro 2024 showcase in Germany next summer.

McTominay lit up Hampden Park on Tuesday night to earn Scotland an iconic victory over Spain which leaves them two from two in Group A. It comes after he did likewise in the opener.

READ MORE: Fans sent wild by McTominay goals

Scotland were expected to beat Cyprus on Saturday afternoon at the same venue, but their subsequent win over Spain upset the proverbial apple cart - and it might have just come at the telling moment to answer one lingering concern for United manager Erik ten Hag.

When the Old Trafford giants resume the Premier League campaign against Newcastle on Sunday afternoon, they will once again have to make do without Casemiro due to suspension. Whenever the Brazil powerhouse has been missing, regularly too have United with their collective performance.

His impact on the engine room has been remarkable, not only in holding down the fort but with some crucial goals from his deep-lying position. McTominay channelled his inner Casemiro in that regard while on Scotland duty and the stage is set for him to emulate him at United.

Of course, that will be easier said than done given how well Casemiro has performed this campaign and, until now, there has been a remarkable drop off when he has been omitted from the line-up. But confidence will be sky-high for McTominay and this could be his time to fly the flag.

United have been over-reliant on Marcus Rashford for goals this season, but this surprising purple patch from McTominay indicates he has been listening to his manager while sat waiting in the wings. Addressing the lack of goals from defenders and midfielders earlier this season, Ten Hag said: "I think we have in our squad players who can score that number of goals, but you can also divide it because we have many goal-scorers across the offensive department. I think we also need something from midfield and the defensive department."

Casemiro and Fred have chipped in since then with five and six goals respectively in all competitions, but the double double from McTominay will come as welcome news to Ten Hag as he continues to cope without the former for the next three Premier League matches.

On-loan Marcel Sabitzer was also, seemingly, taking note. He scored twice for Austria and contributed further with an assist before sustaining an injury scare with his knee.

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