McTominay: I'll never take my place for granted
Scott McTominay has admitted he'll never feel like an established Manchester United first-team player, because there's always work to do to impress amid fierce competition throughout the squad.
The midfielder enjoyed a superb breakthrough season in 2017/18, making 27 appearances in all competitions – including starts in key Premier League and Champions League games – as he went on to be named Jose Mourinho’s Player of the Season.
When asked if he feels established in the first-team squad, the 21-year-old said: “I could be 35 years old, move to a new football team and still wouldn’t be established. Even if you’re like Michael Carrick and you’ve won everything, you still have that hunger and want to impress everybody in every training session.
“That’s just the way I’ve been brought up through the Academy – it’s having that relentlessness to go and perform in every training session and every match. I need to kick on, I’m 21 years old and want to prove myself.”
"I could be 35 years old and still wouldn't be established. You still have that hunger and want to impress in every training session."
Scott also featured prominently during pre-season for the Reds and was a substitute in the opening 2-1 victory over Leicester City at Old Trafford.
Our no.39 knows exactly what he needs to do to ensure he builds on last season this time around on a personal level.
“The main thing for me is always wanting to play as much game-time as possible and being ambitious to really kick on again,” he declared.
“I can forget last season; that was the season where I did well, played a few games and made a bit of an impression, but now’s the time to work even harder than I already have to really cement myself in the squad and hopefully get myself into that starting XI.
“I’ve got to do my best in the future because obviously people forget about the past and it’s always about the present moment in time. I think that’s one of the most important things for me.”
‘WE HAVE THE CHANCE TO MAKE A STATEMENT’
The Reds will be looking to make it two wins out of two so far in 2018/19 when making the trip to the Amex Stadium on Sunday to face Brighton & Hove Albion in our first away game of the season.
United finished second in the Premier League last term – our highest finish since winning the title in 2012/13. Although he acknowledges how competitive the division is again this term, McTominay believes the Reds have what it takes to be crowned champions this season.
“The competition this season throughout the whole league – never mind the top six – is going to be immense,” Scott added. “It’s an opportunity for us to really make a statement that we are one of the best teams in the league, if not the best team in the league.”
"This season is an opportunity for us to really make a statement that we are one of the best teams, if not the best team, in the league."
He went on: “We’ve got a really good squad to do that and hopefully we can show people that we’re capable of winning the league and doing some really good things this season with the players we’ve got. Everyone at the club is desperate to win league titles, FA Cups, Champions Leagues and other trophies.
“The league is the main objective for every club and our manager is a serial winner – he’s a guy who has won everything and is an incredible manager, so hopefully we can do well this season.”