Harry Diamond
Paul Scholes reckons Manchester United will be ‘there or thereabouts’ in the Premier League title race after the club continued their fine away record with a 3-2 win at Sheffield United.
Marcus Rashford scored twice as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side maintained their perfect record away from home so far this season, incredibly registering a sixth consecutive away win this season despite having fallen behind in each game.
United recovered from Dean Henderson’s early howler to secure victory at Bramall Lane over the winless Blades, with Anthony Martial also on the scoresheet with his first Premier League goal of the campaign.
Solskjaer’s side currently sit five points behind league leaders Liverpool but have a game-in-hand on the champions, and Scholes believes his former side can challenge in an unpredictable and competitive Premier League season.
“Yeah you have to think so and at times tonight they were fantastic,” the former Manchester United midfielder said on Amazon Prime Video.
“Ole [Gunnar Solskjaer] this year I think he’s changed formation a lot of times, changed personnel a lot.
“We spoke before about those five games last season where they didn’t change the team, it was virtually this team tonight apart from the left-back and the goalkeeper, it was a 4-2-3-1, it really suited them.
Best team goal of the season so far? #PLonPrime pic.twitter.com/5T1s1Sqxix
— Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) December 18, 2020
“I was excited for this season, it’s not quite worked out as I would have expected, but now I think he’s finally found the right way of playing.
“That two in midfield is the only position I’d think about changing every now and again, that [Nemanja] Matic one. He’s got Fred, he’s got [Scott] McTominay, he can do that. I thought Paul Pogba was fantastic tonight in that position and it’s a formation that really suits the team.
“Fernandes in that No.10 role feeding Martial, Rashford and [Mason] Greenwood – how exciting is that? Three of the best, quickest finishers around Europe when they get chances.
“I think the biggest problem is getting possession of the ball with them two [midfielders], getting control of the game. Pogba and Matic need to control the game if Fernandes is going to be involved. Once them two get control of the game United are off and flying. And it helps the centre-halves as well.
“I think if they can keep nine or 10 players fit for the next 26 games – which I know is a big ask – I think they’ll be there or thereabouts.
18 – Man Utd have recovered more points from losing positions away from home this season than any other team on the road, in any campaign, in Premier League history. Turnarounds. pic.twitter.com/FnrbpNHmPO
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 18, 2020
“We did see a slight drop-off in performance when two or three subs came on, so that tells me there are probably 12 or 13 players that are good enough, keeping them fit is going to be difficult.
“But I think tonight they’ve found a real way of playing, an exciting way of playing. Twenty-six games, they might be thereabouts.
“Some of the passing and movement was sensational. The front four players were brilliant. Bruno at times… you give him time on the ball, he’s going to destroy teams.”
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