Scott McTominay explains Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic's influence at Manchester United

Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay claims Paul Pogba is an "inspiration" and expressed his desire to emulate the France international at Old Trafford.

The 21-year-old came up through the ranks of the Red Devils' youth system. Jose Mourinho handed him his debut at the end of the last season. He impressed during the pre-season and has already made his Champions League debut this term.

Pogba was also at United's academy, but failure to cement a place in the first team forced him to leave Old Trafford for Juventus on a free transfer in 2012. After impressing for four years in Turin, the 24-year-old rejoined the Red Devils in 2016 and has been a vital player for Mourinho's side. McTominay hailed Pogba and is keen on emulating the Frenchman at United.

"He's exactly that – an inspiration. That's the level you want to aspire to and you only get to that level by watching players like Paul and putting it into practice," McTominay told United's official website.

"He's one of the most mentally strong guys I've ever met and that shows on the pitch. No matter if things might be going against the team everyone is always positive and keeps going and Paul is a big part of that which is testament to his character."

Pogba was vital in helping United win the EFL Cup and the Europa League last season. He was out of action for two months this season and the Old Trafford club struggled to find the back of the next regularly.

Meanwhile, United also signed Nemanja Matic from Chelsea in the summer transfer window. The Lancaster-born midfielder also went on to stress the impact the Serbian international has had on him.

"He [Matic] is great. Off the pitch, he's really supportive and he makes a big fuss of you when he sees you! [Smiles] And, on the pitch, he's always speaking to you as well. As a young player, to have someone so senior looking out for you it gives you a big lift," McTominay stressed.

"During the game, I tried to emulate what he did and be a bit of a shield [for the defence] and I thought we did well in the game and controlled the tempo. The whole experience was great."

McTominay committed his future to the 20-time English champions after signing a four-year contract in October. He has made two starts in all competitions, but is yet to feature in the Premier League. The midfielder has set his sights on getting more playing time under his belt this season.

"Yes, I hope so [getting more minutes]. The Christmas period is always a very busy schedule and that's where you need your big squad and to have different players able to come in. I know I need to be patient but I'm working hard to be ready for whenever the manager needs me," he explained.

"We're fighting on all fronts and we want to go as far as we can in every competition. We're Man United, we want to win everything."