Scott McTominay says he is nearing Manchester United return and praises midfield partner Fred
Scott McTominay says he is closing in on a return to the Manchester United team following injury.
The Scotland international has missed 11 games since damaging knee ligaments in the 4-1 victory over Newcastle on Boxing Day.
United have missed the midfielder's influence in recent weeks, with McTominay having enjoyed an excellent first half of the season.
However, the 23-year-old has assured the club's fans that he will back on the pitch sooner rather than later.
“Yeah it has been going well," he told United's official website.
“Obviously, it is never nice watching football matches when you have been playing, you want to be involved and you want to be helping the team as well.
“It is difficult, you know, but you have to find your way through it mentally more than physically sometimes.
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“It is challenging, obviously, from my first proper injury. You need to have all of the right people around you, which I do, and that has been massively beneficial towards my recovery and obviously I want to be taking some part in the sessions towards the end of the week.
“We will just see where we go from there. So we are just going to do whatever we can to make sure I am back on the pitch as soon as possible.”
McTominay has struck up a fine midfield partnership with Fred this term, after the Brazilian was widely written off following an underwhelming debut campaign at Old Trafford.
And the Scot has praised his team-mate for turning his United career around.
“He is a pleasure to play alongside and he is a great guy as well," he added.
“We get on really well and have a good relationship off the pitch. He's a pleasure to work with and he's a player who I admire a lot.
“He has come on leaps and bounds in the past few months, and he deserves all of the credit he is getting at the minute. Long may it continue as well.”
United face top-four rivals Chelsea in a crunch clash at Stamford Bridge next Monday.
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Greg Lea is a freelance football journalist who's filled in wherever FourFourTwo needs him since 2014. He became a Crystal Palace fan after watching a 1-0 loss to Port Vale in 1998, and once got on the scoresheet in a primary school game against Wilfried Zaha's Whitehorse Manor (an own goal in an 8-0 defeat).