{"id":107957,"date":"2023-10-07T20:12:04","date_gmt":"2023-10-07T20:12:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/10\/07\/hes-got-man-utd-in-his-heart-erik-ten-hag-lauds-match-winner-scott-mctominay\/"},"modified":"2023-10-07T20:12:04","modified_gmt":"2023-10-07T20:12:04","slug":"hes-got-man-utd-in-his-heart-erik-ten-hag-lauds-match-winner-scott-mctominay","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/10\/07\/hes-got-man-utd-in-his-heart-erik-ten-hag-lauds-match-winner-scott-mctominay\/","title":{"rendered":"‘He’s got Man Utd in his heart’ – Erik ten Hag lauds match-winner Scott McTominay"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Trailing at 92 minutes 46 seconds, this was the latest Manchester United have ever been behind in a Premier League game and won
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In the immediate aftermath of his sensational injury-time, double that turned what was threatening to be another awful day for Manchester United on its head, Scott McTominay was asked what his manager had said to him as he prepared to come on as an 87th-minute substitute against Brentford.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was very loud,\u201d said the midfielder. \u201cThe fans were roaring us on so I couldn\u2019t hear fully. He probably said something like: \u2018Go on and score.’\u201d<\/p>\n

Informed of this half an hour later, Erik ten Hag couldn\u2019t resist an amused smile.<\/p>\n

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McTominay was wrong.<\/p>\n

\u201cI said score two goals,\u201d said the Dutchman.<\/p>\n

McTominay\u2019s introduction was a last desperate throw of the dice as United were about to suffer their third home defeat a week and experience three home league losses in a row for the first time since 1979.<\/p>\n

Brentford were good value for their single-goal lead and Ten Hag had virtually run out of options.<\/p>\n

Had the summer turned out differently, neither McTominay nor Harry Maguire, who provided the crucial assist for the Scot\u2019s winner, would have still been at United.<\/p>\n

In that chaotic last four minutes, the first time United had trailed in stoppage time in a Premier League game they ended up winning, Ten Hag was certainly glad they were.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is Manchester United in his heart,\u201d said the United boss. \u201cHe is playing for the badge and gives his life. When you are coming on and giving this to the team it tells a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n

West Ham were the club most heavily linked with McTominay as David Moyes pushed to sign his countryman.<\/p>\n

But Ten Hag confirmed United\u2019s valuation was not met.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery player has a price \u2013 but he has a big value, sporting and also economic. I want to have a player like Scott McTominay in the squad.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is Manchester United in every way. In every minute he will fight for the match. Those players you need.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ten Hag needs United reset<\/h3>\n
\"Erik
Each of Scott McTominay\u2019s past 10 Premier League goals for United have come at Old Trafford<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The lap of honour and euphoric scenes that followed the final whistle were in stark contrast to what was being lined up for Ten Hag and his players had the situation not changed so dramatically.<\/p>\n

Yet the result cannot mask what was, for so long, a dire performance.<\/p>\n

United are a shadow of the side that performed so well for the first two-thirds of last season and key individuals are well below their best.<\/p>\n

The ineffective Marcus Rashford was replaced just after the hour mark and is still with just a single goal to his name all season while Casemiro was substituted at half-time after making the first in a catalogue of errors that led to Brentford\u2019s goal.<\/p>\n

Manchester City are United\u2019s next league visitors to Old Trafford, on 29 October, and many will be fearful of what that might bring on this evidence.<\/p>\n

Though he will not see most of his players until the end of the international break, Ten Hag is hoping this win allows a reset for the campaign as a whole.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn football, it\u2019s eat or get eaten,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cToo many times in the first half of the season we have got eaten by opponents who are more hungry, and it can\u2019t be. We were not always determined on every occasion in games and you get hammered for it.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday, we didn\u2019t allow them one shot, had some opportunities and then the same story again; we conceded a goal on a decisive moment with totally the wrong decision from two or three players. We started and were not in formation \u2013 it was an easy giveaway and it sums up our season.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur players are too good players to act like this. It has to be a turning point but also a restart because we have to get into higher levels.\u201d<\/p>\n

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