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Scotland media react to Scott McTominay display vs Denmark
Scott McTominay’s reinvention since leaving Manchester United has been one of the major stories of the last 18 months in European football. The midfielder has managed, in a single season, to transform himself into the driving force of the Napoli side that went on to win Serie A and restore their status among Italy’s elite. Having swapped Old Trafford for the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in 2024, he quickly became a focal point in Antonio Conte’s system and finished his debut campaign as the league’s Most Valuable Player after steering Napoli to the title. McTominay made 36 appearances for Napoli in 2024/25, scoring 13 goals and registering four assists, comfortably the best return of his senior career, sealing a Ballon d’Or nomination. However, this season has been more challenging for the Scotland international. Opposition sides have clearly adjusted to his late runs and aerial presence, while Napoli themselves have not found the same rhythm. McTominay has still chipped in with goals, but with only a handful of strikes so far and more time spent shuttling between roles than dominating games. Unfortunately it seems the form that lit up Italy has been harder to rediscover, a trend that had also been visible with Scotland after Euro 2024. That backdrop is what made Tuesday night at Hampden so significant. With Scotland needing to beat Denmark to leapfrog them and reach the 2026 World Cup, Steve Clarke’s side arrived into a tense, almost wary atmosphere. However, Scott McTominay took matters into his own hands, opening the scoring inside three minutes. Attacking a cross from Ben Gannon-Doak, the former United midfielder adjusted his body and sent an acrobatic overhead effort skidding into the bottom corner. The finish instantly shifted the mood inside Hampden and reminded everyone why Napoli built their title-winning midfield around him. He raced towards the main stand, arms outstretched, as team-mates piled in behind him and the stadium erupted. The Herald’s reaction to the goal described it as a goal: “which will live long in the memory of everyone who was fortunate enough to witness it”. However, from there, Scotland were forced to suffer. A lengthy VAR check eventually handed Denmark a penalty, converted by Rasmus Hojlund, before the visitors went down to ten men and the game descended into chaos. Lawrence Shankland, Patrick Dorgu, Kieran Tierney and Kenny McLean traded goals in a breathless finale that finally ended 4-2 to Clarke’s side. For Scotland, the result ends 28 years of waiting and confirms their place at a World Cup finals for the first time since 1998, with Clarke writing himself into national folklore. For Scott McTominay, it is another landmark in a career that, unfortunately for Manchester United fans, has accelerated since leaving Old Trafford.
Lakers’ LeBron James makes assists history in just first game of Year 23
On Tuesday night, LeBron James made his much-awaited season debut, marking the start of his 23rd campaign in the NBA — being the first player in NBA history to play that many seasons. And the Los Angeles Lakers could not have gotten off to a better start to the season with James in the lineup, as they went ahead and took a 140-125 victory over the Utah Jazz despite trailing by double-digits early. James wasn’t very involved in the scoring, with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves combining for 63 points (37 for the former, 26 for the latter) to lead the Lakers’ offense. But he did put up 11 points, continuing his double-digit scoring streak and extending it to 1,293 games, and to top it all off, he dropped 12 assists (six in the fourth quarter alone) in an overall impressive season debut after missing the first 14 games with sciatica. In so doing, James became the oldest player in NBA history to start his season with a double-double, as per Polymarket Hoops on X (formerly Twitter). The Lakers star continues to be unparalleled in terms of longevity, and he just seems to find a way to produce however he could even when he’s clearly not yet 100 percent. There were times where James lacked his usual burst when he attacked the basket. But the Lakers star more than made up for it with his incredible passing vision and pinpoint execution. He was the main reason why LA pulled ahead of Utah in the fourth quarter on Tuesday, and once he rounds into form, the league better watch out. Lakers can afford to take it easy with LeBron James In the past, having James on the mend for 14 games would have meant disaster. But now that the Lakers have Doncic on the roster, they have a legitimate ballhandling star who can score from everywhere on the court, helping negate James’ absence. The regular season is an 82-game grind, so there’s no reason for the Lakers to push James hard this early. They can afford to bring him along slowly and have him ramp up in time for when the games matter the most.
Taylor Swift's Emotional Letter to Late Liam Payne Set to Fetch $13,000 at Auction
Taylor Swift's emotional handwritten letter to Liam Payne is expected to draw significant attention when it goes up for auction next month. The note, sent in December 2017, is projected to sell for as much as $13,000 due to its deeply personal and historic nature. Swift wrote the message shortly before Payne took the stage at the Jingle Bell Ball in London, at a time when he was gaining traction as a solo artist after One Direction began its hiatus. According to the auctioneers, interest has already grown ahead of bidding. Taylor wrote: "Liam, long time no see! I'm so excited for you. You're crushing it out there. I'm obsessed with Bedroom Floor. It's so cool to see you from afar, I'm always cheering you on. Good luck tonight!" The Mirror reports that the letter showed up in an envelope labeled only "Liam," covered in stars. The envelope was wax-sealed with a "T," and on the back appeared "Nashville, Tennessee." Payne reportedly gave the letter to a friend shortly after receiving it. The sale of the note comes just over a year after Payne's death in October 2024. The singer died at age 31 after falling from a hotel balcony in Argentina. According to the People, an autopsy later revealed polytrauma along with traces of alcohol, cocaine, and prescription antidepressants in his system. His sister, Ruth Gibbins, described ongoing grief in the months since his death. She said: "My brain is locked on your last minutes on this earth, the unaccounted minutes, the minutes I will never have the answers to, the minutes that changed everything." She also posted on Instagram : "I underestimated grief, woah, did I underestimate it. I am paralysed by it daily. I thought I had felt it before but I know the losses before you were just intense sadness, you are the loss of my life, the one person who l will miss at every single occasion in my life." Omega Auctions is expected to see much interest from collectors once it begins accepting bids for the item, since the letter is a rare personal exchange between two major pop figures. According to the source, the timing has added an emotional weight to the sale, aligning as it does with the anniversary of Payne's death.
Fantasy Football Week 12 Defense Rankings: Which DST Should You Start?
Fantasy D/ST rankings this week come with some curveballs … a few of your go-to units are banged up or on the bench. The Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins, Los Angeles Chargers and Washington Commanders all hit their Week 12 bye, pulling several fantasy defenses off the board. Lean into healthier, high-pressure units and don’t be afraid to stream a defense if the waiver wire gives you a clearer path to sacks and turnovers. Week 12 Fantasy Defense Rankings Green: Player moved up in the latest rankings update. Red: Player moved down in the latest rankings update. Fantasy Football Defense Scoring Format 2 points per sack 3 points per takeaway 3 points per safety 6 points per defensive/special teams TD More Fantasy Football Week 12 Positional Rankings Fantasy Quarterback Rankings Fantasy Running Back PPR Rankings Fantasy Wide Receiver PPR Rankings Fantasy Tight End PPR Rankings Fantasy Place Kicker Rankings Fantasy Defense Rankings Veteran fantasy football expert Cory Bonini will publish and update free fantasy football PPR rankings with tiers throughout the season. He also has your back for working the waiver wire, playing the right sleepers, avoiding lineup-killing busts, navigating injuries, cashing prop bets, and more!
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