Scotland's most important midfielder travelled apart from the squad with a doctor by his side ahead of their World Cup opener in Boston. It's not the kind of news any Scotland fan wants to read in the build-up to their biggest game in years, and you can understand why there will be a fair few nervous glances at team sheets between now and kick-off.
The details are a little thin on the ground at the moment, which is probably the most unsettling part of it all. When a player travels separately with medical staff as a precaution, it usually means something has flagged up that the coaching staff don't want to ignore, even if it turns out to be nothing serious. Scotland will be hoping this falls firmly into the nothing serious category.
McTominay has genuinely been one of Scotland's best players for a good while now. He brings energy, drive and a bit of quality in the middle of the park that the rest of the squad simply cannot replicate. Without him, Scotland become a much more limited side, and that is not a slight on his teammates — it is just an honest assessment of how much he contributes. Napoli fans will already know exactly what he offers, having watched him thrive in Serie A since leaving Manchester United.
And yes, as a Manchester United fan, it is slightly painful to admit that McTominay has gone on to have a brilliant time after leaving Old Trafford, but credit where it is due. The lad has kicked on and become a genuinely important player at the highest level. Scotland will be praying he is fit and firing.
For now, the word precaution is doing a lot of heavy lifting, and Scotland's management will be keeping everything crossed that it stays that way. If he gets the all-clear and takes his place in the starting eleven, Scotland will feel far more confident going into the tournament. If not, they have a real problem on their hands before a ball has even been kicked.
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