Paul Scholes performs complete U-turn on Manchester United star he now thinks is ‘untouchable’

Paul Scholes has now performed a complete U-turn on his opinion of one Manchester United star who has made himself untouchable following his heroics against Liverpool.

Manchester United battled to a thrilling 2-2 draw against Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday, as Rúben Amorim’s men came from behind to claim a vital point against the Premier League leaders.

The match began with United showing confidence, controlling possession and looking to stifle Liverpool’s attacking flair. As the first half wore on, United grew into the game, with Rasmus Højlund coming close to finding the opener before the interval.

After the break, United struck first. Lisandro Martínez fired home a superb effort after being teed up by Bruno Fernandes, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead and silencing the Anfield crowd. Liverpool, however, responded with urgency, and Cody Gakpo equalised with a clinical finish just before the hour mark.

Liverpool then took the lead through a Mohammed Salah penalty, awarded after Matthijs de Ligt was penalised for a handball inside the box. With 20 minutes to play and the scoreline at 2-1, Amorim turned to his bench, bringing on Alejandro Garnacho in a bid to change the game.

Garnacho made an immediate impact, setting up Amad Diallo, who coolly slotted home the equaliser with ten minutes remaining. The final moments were end-to-end, with both teams pushing for a decisive goal, but neither could capitalise on their chances.

In the end, United’s resilience earned them a well-deserved point in a pulsating encounter, showcasing their fighting spirit against the league’s top side.

Scholes performs complete U-turn on Ugarte

At the beginning of September, before Manuel Ugarte had kicked a ball for United, former United midfielder Paul Scholes admitted he was worried that the 23-year-old would not be able to do the job required in the middle of the park.

“He [Erik ten Hag, manager at the time] needs discipline in there,” Scholes said. “He’s obviously seen that already. Casemiro, okay, not great legs. I don’t think Mainoo, as an athlete, is that great. He relies more on his manipulation of the ball and his quality on the ball.

“Ugarte has got to be everything. He’s going to have to be some player to make this team better. It’s a big job on his hands, and I just can’t see it.”

However, following Ugarte’s 9/10 performance against Liverpool, Scholes has performed a U-turn on this view, explaining he now views the Uguruguan international as an untouchable part of Amorim’s team.

Scholes told Premier League Productions: “It has to be [Ugarte untouchable]. Mainoo is the best one alongside him once he’s fit… Ugarte is quality on the ball, he’s surprised me a little bit, and he’s done better than I think he he would do when I watched him at PSG.

“I think this lad, he’s really grown in confidence. I thought he took up some great positions, he helped defensively out with the attack, and I thought even he had the composure to take the ball as well, and it looks to me like it has to be him with another [midfielder].”

Read More: Paul Scholes and Michael Owen admit “worry” about Manchester United star vs Liverpool

Ugarte has improved his offensive capabilities ten-fold since he signed for United.

The young midfielder started life at Old Trafford somewhat tentative on the ball, but at Anfield, he was fantastic, playing brilliant passes to his teammates and looking to get the ball up the field wherever possible.

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