December 07, (THEWILL) – Scott McTominay was the hero at Old Trafford on Wednesday evening, scoring twice to give Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United a much-needed 2-1 English Premier League victory over Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea. The win will come as a relief for under-pressure Ten Hag, providing a riposte to recent reports of player unhappiness with his methods.
The homegrown midfielder opened the scoring in the first half with a crisp low shot, before heading home the winner after Chelsea’s Cole Palmer had equalised on the stroke of half-time. There was late drama as the Blues pressed for another equaliser, but they were denied by the woodwork.
It was a helter-skelter match that saw chances at both ends. United started brightly, winning a penalty that Bruno Fernandes failed to convert, while Chelsea looked dangerous on the counter through Mykhailo Mudryk.
However, McTominay’s brace made the difference on a night when United bounced back from their lifeless weekend loss at Newcastle. The win, and improved performance, will ease some of the pressure that was mounting on Dutchman Ten Hag.
His team selection paid off, making four changes from the Newcastle defeat, including dropping Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial to the bench. The victory came against fellow manager Pochettino, who had earlier been considered Ten Hag’s main rival for the United job.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
