Scott McTominay's Status Has Changed, Says Antonio Conte Amid Slow Start At Napoli

Antonio Conte has highlighted a shift in how Scott McTominay is perceived, noting that the Napoli midfielder now garners more attention from opponents. Last season, McTominay was pivotal in helping Napoli secure the Scudetto and was named Serie A's most valuable player. Despite a slow start this season with just one goal and assist, Conte defends him, emphasising his changed status.

Conte explained that McTominay's reputation has evolved significantly since his arrival from Manchester United. Initially seen as an underdog, he now commands respect and strategic focus from rivals. "He was the best player in the league last season," Conte stated, adding that opponents now make tactical adjustments to counter him.

Napoli currently leads Serie A with

15 points from six matches, edging out Roma on goal difference. The team's performance has been bolstered by the return of key players Alessandro Buongiorno and Matteo Politano from injury. Buongiorno has resumed full training, while Politano is back with the squad.

Conte also provided updates on other players' recoveries. Amir Rrahmani is progressing well, and Stanislav Lobotka has started his recovery process. With seven matches in 22 days ahead, Conte stressed the importance of squad rotation to manage physical demands effectively.

Napoli faces a Torino side struggling at 16th place with only five points from six games. Marco Baroni's team has managed just one league win but might find hope in Napoli's recent away losses. Despite this, Napoli remains strong against Torino historically, having avoided defeat in 19 of their last 20 encounters.

6 - Since the beginning of October 2025, Rasmus Hjlund has scored the joint-most goals among players in the Big-5 European leagues in all competitions considering clubs and national teams: 6 goals, level with Erling Haaland. Dominant. pic.twitter.com/hgr0EgkpkS OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) October 16, 2025

Key Players to Watch

Giovanni Simeone could be crucial for Torino against his parent club Napoli. The forward has a history of performing well against Napoli, scoring four league goals against them, including a hat-trick in April 2018. For Napoli, Rasmus Hojlund is in excellent form with six goals since October.

The Danish international Hojlund has netted four times in six appearances for Napoli this season and scored in each of his last two matches. His performance will be vital as Napoli aims to maintain their top position in Serie A.

Match Prediction and Statistics

The odds favour a Napoli victory given their strong record against Torino. They have won eight of their last ten away games against Torino and kept clean sheets in five of those matches. Meanwhile, Torino has conceded at least 13 goals in their first six games this season.

The Opta win probability gives Napoli a 51.8% chance of winning compared to Torino's 21%. A draw stands at 27.2%. With these statistics and current form considered, Napoli appears poised to continue their dominance over Torino.