Paul Scholes has claimed on MUTV that Liverpool are the only team capable of challenging Manchester City for this season’s Premier League title.
The United legend admitted he had been impressed by the Merseyside giants’ summer recruitment and claimed his boyhood club are not on the same level.
“When you look at Manchester City, possibly Liverpool, I don’t think they [United] have the quality of those two teams at the minute,” Scholes told MUTV in an interview broadcast on Monday night (13 August).
“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
First Gary Neville. Now, Scholes. The United legends are queuing up to shower praise – no doubt through gritted teeth given their lifelong affiliation to the Manchester giants – on Liverpool. Scholes calls a spade a spade and is not one to hold back, or play to the crowd. If he is not impressed by something or someone, he explains why in no-nonsense style. Certainly, his assessment of United is fairly withering, despite the astronomical investment in the team during the Jose Mourinho era. It is the team on the other side of the East Lancashire road whose recruitment has caught Scholes’ eye – and little wonder. Liverpool new boys Alisson and Naby Keita, who was brilliant in the 4-0 demolition of West Ham on Sunday, are outstanding signings, and Xherdan Shaqiri and Fabinho are very good ones. Much as he hates to admit it, Scholes knows Liverpool have taken a mighty step ahead of United after already reaching the Champions League final in May.