Scott McTominay rubs salt in Man Utd wounds after Newcastle thrashing

Scott McTominay quit Manchester United to join Napoli in a transfer deal worth up to £25million last summer and he’s enjoying the best goalscoring season of his career in Serie A

Ex-Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay continued his brilliant first season with Napoli on Monday, scoring twice to boost their Serie A title hopes. McTominay, 28, left boyhood club United in August for an initial £21million with a potential £4.2m in add-ons.

That fee looks a bargain, with the Scotland international grabbing a brace in Napoli’s crucial 3-0 win at home to Empoli. Both of McTominay’s goals were provided by fellow former United star Romelu Lukaku, who also got on the scoresheet.

Napoli, managed by Antonio Conte, moved three points behind league leaders Inter Milan with six games to play. They’re also seven points clear of third-placed Atalanta, as the fight to win Serie A becomes a two-horse race.

McTominay’s sweet strike to break the deadlock on 18 minutes and well-taken header just after the hour mark moved him onto eight league goals for the season. No United player has more and it’s also his best campaign for league goals to date, rubbing salt in the Red Devils’ wounds after being thrashed 4-1 by Newcastle on Sunday and only scoring one league goal since the international break.

The 28-year-old is loving life in Naples, too, having opted to leave United after more than two decades with the club. McTominay thanked Lukaku for his two assists, saying to DAZN post-match: “Romelu is a great team-mate.

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“He demands a lot from all the team and me to score more goals and create more opportunities for him to score as well. He’s obviously a great player. He’s had a great career, and we’re so happy to have him.”

As for Napoli’s title chances, McTominay said: “We must have fun and think about ourselves. We’re a strong team and must continue with this playing style and attitude. We must think about ourselves and then we’ll see what Inter will do.”

Conte’s side don’t have the distraction of European football, something which he made use of to win the Premier League title with Chelsea in 2017. Inter, meanwhile, will play the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich at home on Wednesday, leading 2-1 on aggregate.

They remain the favourites having won the Scudetto in 2024, but with McTominay and others in form at the right time, Napoli are hot on their heels. Ex-United boss Erik ten Hag didn’t want to sell the midfielder but the Red Devils’ need for cash took priority.

Should Manchester United have sold Scott McTominay? Have your say in the comments section.

Premier League teams make ‘pure profit’ when selling players who’ve come through their academies, as Ten Hag explained: “Unfortunately, it’s the rules. You have to discuss the rules to do sales and obviously homegrown players, academy players, bring more value.

“It’s not the right thing to do but for everyone, for all parts, it’s a good deal. For Scott, he is happy with it. Of course, for Napoli, a very good player but also for us.”

The Dutchman added: “I’m very happy for him and for us, but it’s mixed [feelings] because I would have preferred not to lose him. He has Manchester United in his veins… He was so important for our team, he was at Manchester United for over 22 years.”

A rejuvenated McTominay told BBC Scotland of his move. “It was a big decision, but in some ways it was quite straightforward. I saw the passionate fans, I saw the coach, I saw the players and I saw an opportunity.

“I took it. I didn’t look back. It didn’t take me long to make the decision because I knew that was what I wanted and I’ll never have any regrets in my life. As soon as I put my mind to something I want to do it, that’s it. There’s no holding me back.”

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