Billy Gilmour once again showed just how important he is for Scotland with two assured displays against Croatia and Portugal in the Nations League.
And while the midfielder is yet to really hit the ground running at new club Napoli, an injury elsewhere could see the Scot land his first Serie A start for Antonio Conte’s side this weekend. Slovakia star Stanislav Lobotka limped off in Monday’s 3-1 victory against Azerbaijan with a suspected thigh problem, and although Napoli are still waiting to learn the full extent of the injury, he is unlikely to take part in Sunday’s visit of Empoli.
And that could mean Gilmour – who has only been handed cameo appearances in the league despite playing 90 minutes the 5-0 demolition of Palermo in the Coppa Italia last month – is included from the get-go in Naples on Sunday. The 23-year-old will be hoping to match the exploits of international teammate Scott McTominay, who has started like a house on fire at Napoli after arriving from Manchester United for £25.7million in the summer.
McTominay has registered two goals and one assist in his first five matches and has already won rave reviews from boss Conte. After a humiliating 3-0 defeat to Hellas Verona on the opening weekend of the season, Napoli have hit back with five wins and a draw to establish a two-point lead at the Serie A summit.
A miserable campaign in 2023/24 in which both Rudi Garcia and Walter Mazzarri were sacked saw Gli Azzurri slump to a 10th place finish in Serie A, just 12 months on from capturing their first scudetto since the days of Diego Maradona in 1990. But the absence of European football this season could give Napoli an edge over their title rivals in the run-in. Conte, 55, previously guided Juventus to three consecutive Serie A crowns between 2011 and 2013 and also ended Inter Milan’s 11-year wait for a championship in 2021.
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