Scunthorpe United manager Alan Knill hopes he has found a midfield pairing capable of driving the club up the League One table.

Michael O'Connor and Oliver Norwood have been the heartbeat of the Iron's last two performances, contributing in defence and attack during a goal-less draw at MK Dons and Tuesday's 2-2 thriller with high-flying Huddersfield Town.

With Damien Mozika struggling with an ankle injury and skipper Sam Togwell featuring at right-back, it is perhaps more through circumstance that the duo have been paired together in a midfield four.

But the Iron have certainly reaped the rewards, with the duo exceptional in midweek as United came close to ending the Terriers' 40-match unbeaten league run.

"I thought on Saturday the pair were really good. They are developing into a great partnership," said Knill, whose side host Tranmere Rovers on Saturday.

"Sometimes you have to curb their enthusiasm a little bit and get them to play from a shape, but they're working really hard at keeping to that shape.

"Consequently, we don't look as if we're going to concede as many as we did before.

"I'm delighted with them and I'm confident that because they are so young and both want to be better, I'm sure it's only going to get better."

Manchester United reserve team coach Paul Scholes was at Glanford Park to watch Tuesday's match, in which Norwood scored his first goal for the club.

"It was a great strike, I'm pleased for him," added Knill.

"But Ollie is an unbelievable footballer, some of the things he can do, and his passing, are excellent.

"But we've said to him that all of that counts for nothing if you can't stop the opposition from playing.

"He's taken it on board and worked really hard.

"It will do him really good to play against the sort of opposition we are week in, week out.

"It's doing both him and Shane Duffy the world of good.

"Mickey has got it in him as well. There's a nasty streak in there and every now and again you have to have that."

Knill was particularly impressed with the performances of Norwood and O'Connor given the quality of their opposition on Tuesday.

"You can see the strength and power they've got and off the bench they've got a real squad," he said.

"I don't think many sides will come as close to getting a result against them as we did."