Paul Scholes has eaten his own words just days after claiming one Manchester United star can no longer cut it in Premier League football.
Manchester United earned a superb 2-1 win over Liverpool on Sunday afternoon, as Rúben Amorim’s side claimed a vital three points at Anfield.
United made a dream start, taking the lead inside two minutes when Bryan Mbeumo finished neatly from a tight angle after a clever pass from Amad. Bruno Fernandes went close to doubling the advantage, but Amorim’s men led narrowly at half-time.
Liverpool responded after the break, with Cody Gakpo hitting the post before Amorim introduced Manuel Ugarte, Patrick Chinazaekpere Dorgu, and Benjamin Šeško to add fresh energy. Gakpo equalised late on, but Harry Maguire quickly restored United’s lead with a towering header.
Despite Liverpool’s late pressure, United’s defence stood firm to secure their first Anfield victory since January 2016.
Scholes claims three United stars can’t cut it anymore
Former United midfielder Paul Scholes has never been one to shy away from criticising players and voicing his opinions. However, recently, some have become irritated with his perceived negativity surrounding the club.
Last week, in an interview with The Times, Scholes commented that he believes three of United’s current crop can no longer cut it in the Premier League.
“[Luke] Shaw, Maguire, Casemiro, they’ve all been great players, but they’re at a stage of their career now where you get found out in the Premier League if you’re not physically good enough,” he said.
“Their bodies are not athletic enough, they’re not strong enough, they’re not quick enough. They’ve dropped to a level where they can’t cope with what’s needed in the Premier League.
“Every player in the Premier League is an absolute machine. They’ve got five per cent body fat, they can run, they’re strong, they can head it. Manchester United are carrying two or three players that are just not capable of living with it.”
Scholes eats his words with Maguire performance
Lo and behold, just a few days later, Scholes watched Maguire win Player of the Match at Anfield, score the winning goal, and put in a monster display against one of the most physical teams in the league.
Speaking on The Good, The Bad, and The Football, Scholes admitted that he thought Maguire was “brilliant” both defending in United’s box and attacking in Liverpool’s, giving the centre-back huge credit for his display.
“I was just going to say. I was just going to say that in both boxes, he’s brilliant,” he Scholes said. “He heads everything away and he always looks like he’s going to grab you a goal, which Brucey [Steve Bruce] will tell you as a centre-half.”
If you were to ask Scholes again if he feels Maguire can still cut it in the Premier League, you may find that he’s changed his tune.
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