Scott McTominay's second-minute goal against Cagliari was crucial for Napoli as the Serie A defending champions climbed into second place on Friday night. The former Manchester United midfielder once again played the hero, his early strike securing all three points for Antonio Conte's team.
However, the former Chelsea boss wasn't entirely pleased with McTominay, or his team overall. He said: "[Frank] Anguissa and McTominay aren't 'brilliant' again yet, Kevin [De Bruyne] I thought was doing well. [Stanislav] Lobotka struggled a little bit more."
Il Napolista awarded the Scot a seven out of 10, emphasising how his goal and overall input outweighed any shortcomings. They said: "He takes the game and the three points, as he did so many times last season. And this time he does it right away, before he's even started. For this reason, he's forgiven for all the balls he subsequently lost." They also lauded his leadership, calling him "the true leader of this team."
Eurosport gave McTominay a 7.5 out of ten, noting: "Here's the Scot, back in fine form: his early-game goal certainly wasn't as beautiful or crucial as the overhead kick that gave Napoli the Scudetto about a year ago. However, it was a significant goal against a tough team."
Sport Napoli lauded his sharp instincts but were harsh on Napoli's general display, writing: "McTominay was decisive at the start of the race. An early goal from Scott McTominay was enough to defeat the Rossoblu 1-0 and secure three crucial points in the race for the top spot in the table."
