Italian media make their feelings clear on Scott McTominay after 'giant' moment in Napoli's season

Italian media have made their feelings clear on Scott McTominay after he helped Antonio Conte's Napoli to go six points clear at the top of Serie A with a 3-2 away win over title rivals Atalanta.

The win means they are now six points clear of Inter Milan, and seven ahead of Atalanta.

Inter have two games in hand on Napoli before their game against Empoli on Sunday but Napoli are in the Scudetto driving seat thanks to a statement victory in Bergamo.

They had to come from behind after an early goal from Atalanta's prolific forward Mateo Retegui. Matteo Politano equalised for Napoli and Romelu Lukaku grabbed a late winner after a second Atalanta goal from Ademola Lookman, but the outstanding highlight was the Scott McTominay strike that put Napoli 2-1 ahead just before half time.

Scotland international McTominay cost Napoli a reported fee of £25 million when he signed from Manchester United last summer and his blistering strike at the Gewiss Stadium was just the latest highlight of his tremendous first half-season in Italy.

McTominay has scored five Serie A goals this season, level in Napoli's scoring ranks with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and behind only Lukaku. Kvaratskhelia left Napoli for PSG but the Neapolitians showed what they're made of in his absence in the Serie A game of the weekend.

Scott McTominay. (Image: Getty)

Italy's football media have been falling over themselves to praise McTominay this season. Former Premier League star and Italian international Paolo Di Canio told Calcio Napoli in October that he would "go to Manchester United to arrest all the directors" for allowing the Scot to leave, and his latest goal has only amplified that kind of sentiment among the Italian press corps.

McTominay was rated joint man of the match along with Franck Anguissa by Napoli Today, who hailed a "giant" performance from the Lancaster-born midfielder, while both Calcio Napoli and the legendary Gazzetta credited him for a crucial Napoli win.

Scott McTominay has impressed at Napoli (Image:Getty)

This is just the second time McTominay has scored five or more league goals in a season. He scored seven times for Manchester United last season and has developed a handy knack of scoring international goals for Scotland. He now has 11 goals in 58 caps from midfield.

Very few of them for either club or country have been as pinpoint, as emphatic, or as impactful as his wonderful strike at Atalanta.