Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes has tipped Liverpool to be pushing for the Premier League title this season ahead of his old side.
Scholes – who represented the Red Devils for 20 years between 1993 and 2003 – admitted that the Reds have recruited well this summer, and are the only team capable of challenging Manchester City for the title this season compared to his former club.
He told MUTV in an interview on Monday [as transcribed by the Mirror]: “When you look at Manchester City, possibly Liverpool, I don’t think they [United] have the quality of those two teams at the minute. Liverpool have made some really good signings. United finished above them last season.
“I just don’t see United getting closer to City. City are a really good side, great manager, some great players, a way of playing that they all know about and Manchester United seem to be not too sure what’s going on.
“You don’t really know the team, you don’t really know the players, you don’t know how they’re going to perform from one week to the next. So I hope I’m wrong, but I don’t see them challenging for the league this year.”
OPINION
Scholes is accurate is in his praise of Liverpool and condemning of Manchester United. Liverpool have far more quality than United have at the moment, and are indeed the only team who can challenge City for the title this year. No team comes near them both in terms of ability, not even Chelsea who are renound for spending big. It will be a tough tussle between them both, and the Reds will certainly not finish three places below them like they did last season. More and more pundits seem to be glowing with praise for Liverpool, which must be hard for Scholes after playing for their close rivals – but Liverpool thoroughly deserve all the praise they can get. United are far behind Liverpool in terms of what they can achieve this season, and they will have to face the very likely prospect of them finishing above them this term. Liverpool now need to prove to the pundits that they are right and bring a trophy to Anfield.
