If Scott McTominay’s first-team career has been a continual upwards trend, culminating in the battle for his international future that concluded this week, then Crystal Palace provided him with his first knock back.
When it came to the international game. Scotland won out in the end. Alex McLeish convinced McTominay to represent the land of his father during a meeting at Carrington, rather than England, where he was born.
A tug of war for a player with just eight senior games to his name may seem a bit ridiculous on paper, but it spoke for how impressive he has been for Jose Mourinho.