Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Scott Mctominay, Napoli
Chris Nee
Paul Gascoigne was the pioneer of a new wave of British players moving to Italian football in the early 1990s and won over Lazio's fans after a long recovery from injury.
Scott McTominay has taken to life in Serie A too. The Scotland international signed for title hopefuls Napoli in the summer and now plays under with Tartan Army team-mate Billy Gilmour and former Manchester United colleague Romelu Lukaku.
Under Antonio Conte, who managed Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League, Napoli have been involved in the race for what would be a fourth Scudetto.
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Diego Maradona and Careca spearheaded the first two. Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia led the third.
Now, Lukaku and McTominay are a vital partnership in one of Italy's most dangerous teams.
Napoli needed a win against Empoli on Monday night to stay within three points of Inter Milan and a blockbuster performance from the ex-Man Utd pair made it look like easy work.
They took the lead as early as the 18th minute. McTominay collected the ball from Lukaku just inside the Empoli half and strutted through the middle of the pitch before fizzing a low shot past Empoli goalkeeper Devis Vasquez, who spent part of last season on loan at Sheffield Wednesday.
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With an hour played, Lukaku and McTominay combined again. The Scotland man powered a header in off the crossbar to make it 3-0 after Lukaku had blasted the second beyond Vasquez earlier in the second half.
The victory saw Napoli stay three points behind the leaders with six matches left to play.
There was a personal landmark for McTominay too.
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Fellow midfielder Gascoigne scored six goals in Serie A and McTominay has now surpassed his Lazio tally with eight Serie A goals for Napoli.
McTominay is just one of several Brits playing in Italy this season.
Lloyd Kelly and Dele Alli have featured for Juventus and Como respectively, while AC Milan added Kyle Walker to an English contingent that also included Fikayo Tomori, Tammy Abraham and Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
The six Scottish or Scotland international players in Serie A also include former Premier League striker Che Adams at Torino and Bologna captain Lewis Ferguson.
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McTominay signed a four-year deal in August and has thrived in Naples.
The Italian media already hold McTominay in high esteem. Gazzette dello Sport called him "the warrior soul of Napoli" just a few months after his £25 million transfer away from Old Trafford.
Paolo di Canio, who played in the Premier League and for Gascoigne's old club Lazio, said that Man Utd's directors "should be arrested" for letting McTominay leave.