Jose Mourinho Reveals Main Reason Behind Man Utd Starlet's Rise Into First Team

Jose Mourinho has put Scott McTominay's rise up through the Manchester United system down to the humble background he had as a young boy.

The Portuguese boss spoke to the press (h/t the Mirror) ahead of his side's clash with Crystal Palace on Monday and was asked about the midfielder's progression into the senior side this season.

McTominay is currently at the centre of an international tussle between bitter rivals England and Scotland as the home nations try to convince him to pledge allegiance to them.

And Mourinho, who has handed McTominay 15 appearances in a Red Devils jersey so far this term, revealed why he thought the 21-year-old's parents and family had helped keep him grounded enough to work hard and rise through the ranks at Old Trafford.

He said: "I think it's a consequence of his profile as a boy and I think the people around him are the right people. I never met them, but I have to believe the kid with his attitude towards the others and towards football, I believe the parents must be really good people, who have passed to him the right values.

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"The kid has his feet on the ground, he's very calm, and I think he passed some important tests not by the football point of view, but the mental point of view.

"He has maturity, he's calm, he can play against champions, play knockout in the Champions League, and pass those two tests by the mental approach, so I think a long way to go, obviously, but he has his feet on the ground, he's very stable and I hope he can keep the same image."

McTominay, who is eligible to play for Scotland through his father, made his first-team bow in the 4-1 Carabao Cup victory over Burton back in September.

He has since gone on to face the likes of Chelsea, Benfica, Sevilla and CSKA Moscow as his meteoric rise from the academy continues.