Highlights
- Manchester United failed to build on their cup success over Liverpool after their disappointing draw with Brentford.
- Scott McTominay has been a key player for United this season, but his recent performance against the Bees was far from impressive.
- McTominay’s poor passing accuracy and lack of defensive contribution hindered United, highlighting the need for a change in midfield strategy.
The international break either goes one of two ways for a club: it provides an opportunity to put a bad run of form in the past, or, like in Manchester United’s case, it stops momentum from a positive result.
At the beginning of the campaign, qualifying for the Champions League was viewed as a minimum requirement by everyone at the club, especially after an impressive campaign last season.
However, unfortunately for Erik ten Hag’s side, a top-four finish is now looking extremely unlikely after they suffered a disappointing 1-1 draw away to Brentford.
Mason Mount’s first goal for the Red Devils looked set to be the winner with minutes to go, but a Bees equaliser ruined the visitors’ party.
That said, the celebrations could only get going after 90 minutes of play, as United’s performance was deserving of a defeat – with one player in particular having a horrific evening.
Scott McTominay’s 23/24 campaign
It’s fair to say that Scott McTominay is enjoying his best campaign in a United shirt this season, with the midfielder having a catalogue of key moments.
The Scottish ace has played in all but two games in the Premier League this campaign, starting 15 times and becoming a super-sub on a few occasions.
Despite playing from midfield and only averaging 61 minutes per game, McTominay is currently the Red Devils’ top scorer in the league with seven goals, highlighting his importance in an attacking sense.
The 27-year-old’s ability to impact the game in the final third was on display in the 4-3 FA Cup win over Liverpool, where he scored and assisted, but he’s been unable to provide that level on a consistent basis.
Furthermore, when looking at the bigger picture, it’s quite clear that the number 39 holds the team back, and that was most definitely on show against Brentford.
Related
Man Utd ace who “loves a goal” has seen his value soar under Ten Hag
Erik ten Hag has a big choice to make this summer over star’s future.
Scott McTominay’s performance versus the Bees
After the game against Liverpool, the expectation was for McTominay to play to a similar standard, adding energy and athleticism in the middle of the park.
Instead, the United academy graduate struggled massively from the first whistle to the last, with the Manchester Evening News handing him a 2/10 rating for his performance, describing him as a “passenger” – and the table below showcases his stats from the game, suggesting the same.
|
McTominay vs Brentford |
|
|---|---|
|
Stats |
McTominay |
|
Yellow Cards |
1 |
|
Pass accuracy |
70% |
|
Possession lost |
14 |
|
Duels lost |
8 |
|
Tackles |
1 |
|
Interceptions |
0 |
|
Via Sofascore |
|
As you can see, McTominay was rather ineffective from both an out-of-possession perspective and when on the ball, which was a rather infrequent sight throughout the 90 minutes.
Despite Ten Hag’s team shading the possession, the team displayed a huge lack of control, which inevitably led to Brentford having a ridiculous 31 attempts at goal and an xG of 3.29.
The reason for this doesn’t solely fall on the shoulders of the Scotland international, but his 23 passes out of 33 with an accuracy of 70% did cause issues for United, handing the Bees opportunities to counter.
Additionally, the midfielder was almost invisible off the ball, losing 8 of his 13 duels, making one tackle and failing to register an interception.
Overall, this type of performance has been all too common this season, and it’s quite clear that McTominay must be dropped, as the best midfield pairing at United currently is undoubtedly Kobbie Mainoo and Casemiro.
