'Form and confidence': Man United man with 'brilliant' record labelled country's Euro 2024 talisman

You really cannot have enough goalscorers at an international tournament, when scorelines tend to be tight and the margins even more so.

So a man who saved Manchester United‘s skin on numerous occasions throughout 2023/24 – almost becoming the living embodiment of ‘Fergie Time’ against Brentford and. co- could yet prove to be the difference between a group-stage exit and a run to the knockout stages.

This is not a Scotland squad blessed with prolific forwards. Che Adams is expected to lead Steve Clarke’s frontline in the absence of Lyndon Dykes, and he has just six goals in 30 caps.

So the box-crashing, lung-busting runs of Scott McTominay may therefore be Scotland’s best hope of escaping from a tight yet competetive group containing Switzerland, Hungary and home nations Germany.

Manchester United’s Scott McTominay heading to Germany

“We’re in a good place,” begins Charlie Adam, who earned 26 caps for Scotland but never featured in a major international tournament (talkSPORT, 11 June, 9.40am).

“I think (Clarke) will play 4-5-1 and get runners from midfield, try and use the legs of McTominay. His goalscoring record recently for Scotland has been brilliant, and he’s started to grow. He got into the Manchester United team and done really well.”

McTominay has scored 18 goals for club and country since hitting a pair of braces against Cyprus and – famously – Spain back in March 2023. The Man United graduate has always been a fine striker of the ball but, under Erik ten Hag, he has developed a knack for popping up in the right place at precisely the right moment.

What the Carrington kid lacks in aesthetics, he more than makes up for in timing.

“He’s obviously coming into (the European Championships) with good form and confidence. He’s obviously never let Scotland down which is important,” adds Adam, once of Stoke City, Rangers and Liverpool.

“When you’ve got players in your team who can cause problems, it gives you a chance.”

McTominay is one of a number of Man United players set to play an integral role in Germany. Kobbie Mainoo looks a real candidate to start for Gareth Southgate’s England – perhaps as the foil to Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham – while Portugal duo Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot headline Roberto Martinez’s latest Golden Generation.

England, meanwhile, will come up against Denmark pair Rasmus Hojlund and Christian Eriksen in the group stages.

Scotland’s best hope of Euro 2024 success

“(McTominay) is a Rolls-Royce,” Clarke tells the Scottish Sun of McTominay, preparing to make his return to the XI after picking up aknock in that FA Cup final victory over Manchester City a fortnight earier.

“It’s great he’s playing all the time (for Man United),” Clarke’s assistant John Carver said in March, via the Daily Record. “Before the European (qualifying) campaign started, he wasn’t getting a great deal of game time.”

“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.

“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.”