1) McTominay takes strides forward under Ten Hag
Erik ten Hag said the reason for Casemiro being kept on the bench against Arsenal was “Scott McTominay is playing really well”. The Scotland midfielder looked set to be a victim of Casemiro’s arrival from Real Madrid but has improved under Ten Hag, a sign of what quality coaching can provide. Against Arsenal he kept things simple; in the first half he achieved 100% passing accuracy, taking 27 touches and winning two tackles. He provided the base to allow Christian Eriksen and Bruno Fernandes freedom to make a difference further up the pitch. Casemiro’s arrival has pushed McTominay on, knowing his previous best will not be good enough to earn a starting spot. Seeing what Casemiro does in training will be helpful because he has had no role model at the club in recent years and only got his chance due to the paucity of options. Finally he looks like a United player, but he still has a fight on his hands to keep his spot. Will Unwin
