As two players from either side of the Manchester divide went head-to-head on the international stage, the man from United squashed his more-heralded City rival underfoot on his way to inspiring a famous win that will be regaled and re-called for decades to come.
The Manchester United ace scored twice, a pair of fizzing finishes either side of half time, as his treble-winning rival was reduced to sniping in the media, his face red and his language bordering on the blue.
In hindsight, 12 months on, that scintillating performance as Scotland defeated Spain 2-0 at Hampden Park – ‘one of the best midfielders in the world’ in Rodri left hanging onto his coattails – might just have been a turning point in Scott McTominay’s career.
Scott McTominay turning into Manchester United’s hero
“Scott was on that same stage, competing with him and excelling against him,” beams John Carver, assistant coach to Scotland boss Steve Clarke (Daily Record).
“He must have thought, ‘Rodri is one of the best players in the world. I can compete with him and be on the same stage’. He has gone back to Man Utd with so much determination and it’s helped us. I
“It’s great he’s playing all the time. Before the European campaign started, he wasn’t getting a great deal of game time.”
Spanning from March 2023 to March 2024, this has been the finest 12 months of McTominay’s career, for both club and country. A man who looked destined to be sold over the summer – West Ham wanted both him and Harry Maguire – continues to silence his critics, accumulating more ‘big goals’ than most players manage in a lifetime.
McTominay has 15 for Scotland and Man United over the last year, including that Spain brace. And Carver is not too far wrong when he suggests that Erik ten Hag owes an almighty debt of graduate to the Carrington graduate.
“You look at some of the players we have in our team who have had unbelievable seasons. I’ll use McTominay as an example,” Carver adds. “He’s gone back and fought his way into that Man Utd team and now the manager is delighted.
“There were a few games where he saved his job I think.”
15 goals in 12 months for Scotland talisman
McTominay’s stoppage-time brace against Brentford comes to mind. He also scored a double against Chelsea, a late winner at Aston Villa, while netting one and assisting another during Sunday’s thrilling 4-3 FA Cup triumph over Liverpool.
McTominay also fired Scotland to Euro 2024. He finished behind only Romelu Lukaku, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane – and level with Rasmus Hojlund – in the qualification scoring charts. Some company.
Carver feels McTominay still has some progress to make too, with the 27-year-old’s future still uncertain at Old Trafford despite his obvious importance to Ten Hag’s plans.
“I think he can get better. He has got better for Man Utd. And it’s not easy getting into a Man Utd team with the history, tradition and what goes on behind the scenes,” the former Newcastle coach adds.
“He can improve and I like to think he wants to improve. For the national team, he has been outstanding. He’s got the personality to play for Man United, that’s why you’re there.
“He has a presence. He has that little swagger. At the very top clubs you need that because he has to play under pressure every single week.”