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Scott McTominay soaked up the limelight as tonight\u2019s \u2018Man of the Match\u2019 as Napoli squeezed past relegation-bound Monza at Stadio Brianteo. The Scottish ace slotted home a towering header to draw the Partenopei level with Inter at the top of the Serie A table.<\/strong><\/p>\n Napoli had no margin for error against Alessandro Nesta\u2019s out-of-sorts side, yet they struggled to meet expectations in the first half. Barring several half-chances for Amir Rrahmani and McTominay, Antonio Conte\u2019s title chasers often failed to put Monza goalkeeper Stefano Turati to the test.<\/p>\n Despite lifting the tempo in the second half, Napoli found it virtually impossible to break down Monza\u2019s stubborn backline. The visitors needed a hero, and McTominay answered the call. After netting a double in a 3-0 win against Empoli on Monday, the ex-Manchester United star struck again.<\/p>\n Less than ten minutes after entering the field, Giacomo Raspadori found McTominay in the box, with the prolific midfielder heading the ball past Turati to inspire Napoli to a hard-fought 1-0 win. Without further ado, let\u2019s look at our player ratings.<\/p>\n Alex Meret \u2013 6<\/strong><\/p>\n Monza\u2019s uneventful attack gave him a day off as he didn\u2019t have to make a single save at the Brianteo.<\/p>\n Mathias Olivera \u2013 6<\/strong><\/p>\n Held his ground well defensively and did a solid job containing threats down his flank, but offered little going forward. His sporadic overlapping runs lacked conviction.<\/p>\n Amir Rrahmani \u2013 7<\/strong><\/p>\n Thriving in Alessandro Buongiorno\u2019s absence, Rrahmani had a field day against Dany Mota, keeping the Monza striker in his back pocket all game. Nearly opened the scoring with a thumping header early on.<\/p>\n Rafa Marin \u2013 6.5<\/strong><\/p>\n The ex-Real Madrid defender zig-zagged between impressive and forgettable moments. That first-half booking was avoidable, but he atoned later in the match with no-nonsense defending.<\/p>\n Giovanni Di Lorenzo \u2013 6<\/strong><\/p>\n It was far from an ideal evening for the Napoli captain. Though he fared well defensively, his trademark runs down the right flanks were nowhere to be seen.<\/p>\n Billy Gilmour \u2013 5<\/strong><\/p>\n A lack of impact and guile in the engine room saw Conte take the former Brighton star off at halftime, perhaps best summarizing his dismal performance.<\/p>\n Stanislav Lobotka \u2013 6.5<\/strong><\/p>\n Kept things ticking in midfield with his usual composure and tidy distribution, rarely putting a foot wrong. However, his influence in the final third was limited.<\/p>\n Scott McTominay \u2013 7.5<\/strong><\/p>\n The Scottish star is a gift that keeps on giving. Finding the opener for the sixth time in Serie A this season, the talismanic midfield scored a stunning header to secure Napoli three precious points. Permanent threat!<\/p>\n Leonardo Spinazzola \u2013 6<\/strong><\/p>\n Merely a shadow of Italy\u2019s standout performer at Euro 2020, Spinazzola couldn\u2019t find his feet despite enjoying much of the ball. Too many missed crosses and lost balls summed up his substandard display.<\/p>\n Matteo Politano \u2013 6<\/strong><\/p>\n After a near-anonymous first-half performance, the diminutive winger squandered a glorious chance to find a breakthrough in the second half. It wasn\u2019t his day.<\/p>\n Romelu Lukaku \u2013 5.5<\/strong><\/p>\n Cut off from the rest of the pack for most of the game, the robust striker never had a clear sight of goal and was well-marked in the box, resulting in arguably his weakest showing in 2025.<\/span><\/p>\n Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa \u2013 6<\/strong><\/p>\n Giacomo Raspadori \u2013 7<\/strong><\/p>\nNapoli (4-3-3)<\/h2>\n
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