Scotland's Euro 2024 squad: Christie's new role, Brown slammed, Adams ends drought - how EPL players fared
With competition fierce for Scotland’s Euro 2024 squad and the crux of Steve Clarke’s pool playing their football in the English Premier League, we take a look at how they all fared during the weekend’s action
Star performance
It has to go to John McGinn, the Aston Villa captain, after his seventh-minute strike earned the Villains a 1-0 win over Arsenal to move them third in the table. Villa’s rise under Unai Emery has been so impressive and the 29-year-old midfielder has been central to their surge up the table. This was their 15th successive EPL home win and McGinn is the heartbeat of this team, putting in a power of work in defensive and in attack. “It’s a huge win but we’ve got to keep our feet on the ground,” McGinn said. “These teams are used to being up and around there and we’re not. We need to try and manage the games as best we can going into a really busy spell.” Villa’s next match is away at Brentford.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad
Unsung hero
Ryan Christie is becoming a talismanic figure for Bournemouth, who are improving steadily under their new Spanish manager Andoni Iraola. The Cherries thumped Manchester United 3-0 at Old Trafford, with Christie once again excelling in a deep-lying midfield role. The former Celtic man recently extended his contract at the Vitality Stadium until the summer of 2027 and while far from a certain starter in Steve Clarke’s current Scotland team, his recent performances continue to catch the eye. Scott McTominay played the full 90 minutes for Man Utd but he was unable to replicate his heroics last midweek against Chelsea on a bitterly disappointing weekend for Erik ten Hag’s men.
Calls for Patterson to start
Nathan Patterson has struggled to break into Sean Dyche’s Everton first team, with Seamus Coleman and Ashley Young preferred at right-back to the 22-year-old. The ex-Rangers player provided an assist from the bench in the midweek 3-0 win over Newcastle and was summoned even earlier, on 40 minutes, against Chelsea on Sunday to replace the injured Young. He played well as the Toffees went on to win 2-0 and some Everton fans now want him to become their main right-back. Patterson has not started for Everton since a 1-0 win away at West Ham in late September.
McKenna still absent
There was no place for Scott McKenna in the Nottingham Forest squad once again, with reports from England suggesting the centre-half’s time at the City Ground is up. Besiktas are rumoured to be interested in the ex-Aberdeen man, who will be desperate to play regular first-team football to maintain his place in the Scotland squad. Steve Cooper’s men drew 1-1 at Wolves.
Brown criticised
Scotland forward Jacob Brown once again led the line for Luton against Man City on Sunday – but came under fierce criticism from pundit Gary Neville following a challenge on Phil Foden. Brown was accused of trying to “significantly harm” the English playmaker with a jump tackle and Neville wrote on social media: “I said this a few weeks ago. When a player jumps in like that the fact the opposing players leg isn’t broken doesn’t alter the fact every professional hates that challenge more than any other. The intent can only be there to significantly harm your opponent.” Brown wasn’t even booked for the challenge and played the full 90 minutes in a narrow loss for the Hatters.
The rest of the Scots in EPL action
Tom Cairney once again impressed for Fulham in their 5-0 win over West Ham. The 32-year-old midfielder has not been capped since 2018 but is enjoying a run in the Cottagers’ starting XI under Marco Silva. Midfielder Billy Gilmour came on as a half-time substitute for Brighton and helped them battle back to earn a 1-1 draw at home to Burnley. Ben Doak was an unused substitute for Liverpool in their 2-1 win over Crystal Palace, which moved them top of the league. The 18-year-old winger, however, is likely to get some game-time on Thursday in the Europa League when Liverpool take on Royale Union Saint-Gilloise in a dead rubber. Teenage forward Ryan One was also an unused substitute for Sheffield United in their 1-0 win over Brentford, who continue to be without the injured Aaron Hickey.
And in the English Championship
Che Adams scored his first goal since August for Southampton as they drew 1-1 with Watford at Vicarage Road. Stuart Armstrong also started for the Saints, while Ryan Porteous was on the opposing Hornets team and, like Armstrong, was booked. Goalkeeper Angus Gunn and midfielder Kenny McLean played the full 90 minutes for Norwich in their 0-0 draw with Preston, while defender Liam Cooper was an unused sub for Leeds in their 2-1 win over Blackburn. Striker Kevin Nisbet played 69 minutes of Millwall’s 1-0 defeat away at Cardiff and Ryan Hardie came on as a sub in Plymouth’s 4-0 loss to leaders Leicester.
On the continent
Kieran Tierney shone for Real Sociedad at left-back as they won 3-0 at Villarreal in La Liga. The Basque outfit are up to fifth in the table and will look to top their Champions League group later this week. In Italy, Lewis Ferguson helped Bologna move up to fifth in Serie A with a 2-1 win away to Salernitana, but Josh Doig was an unused sub for the fifth match in a row for Hellas Verona as they drew 1-1 at home to Lazio. Max Johnston came on as a last-minute replacement for Sturm Graz in their 1-0 win over Altach in the Austrian Bundesliga and on Thursday night, Jack Hendry was part of an Al-Etiifaq team that kept a clean sheet in a goalless Saudi Arabian Pro League draw at Al-Shabab.