Scholes urges Man Utd to sign centre-back with incredible potential Paul Scholes has urged Manchester United to sign an ‘outstanding’ centre-back that would strengthen their title challenge this month. The Red Devils beat Burnley 1-0 on Tuesday night to hit the Premier League summit ahead of their clash with reigning champions Liverpool on Sunday. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has largely settled on Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof as his defensive pairing this season. However, Eric Bailly has also impressed when called upon, as he did at Turf Moor. But Scholes still believes that the Ivory Coast star is too “rash” to be playing for a title-chasing side. Instead, he would like to see Leicester star Wesley Fofana arrive at Old Trafford, only months after he joined the Foxes from St-Etienne in a £36.5million deal. “When we won titles, so many of our wins at Liverpool were 1-0 or 2-1 after having to dig it out for 80 minutes,” 11-time Premier League-winner Scholes told ESPN . “You accept you’re going to have days like that against the top teams, when you don’t dominate the game and have to battle to stay in it. “You have to be able to defend properly and withstand the opposition’s attacks. But I’m still to be convinced that this United side can do that. “As a back four, I worry about how good they really are. “At full-back, Aaron Wan-Bissaka is just about defending, which is fine for a game at Liverpool. But I’m not sure what Luke Shaw brings to the team. “In the middle, Ole still has to find Harry Maguire’s best partner. Eric Bailly has pace, but he is rash and picks up too many injuries. “Victor Lindelof plays the position better and seems to be Ole’s preferred option. But again, he is not totally convincing. “If I was Ole and could sign a defender this month, I’d go for Wesley Fofana at Leicester. He’s only 20, but he has been outstanding and he has the potential to be anything he wants to be. “United have done okay at the back this season, but they have been exposed when playing against the big teams and that’s another problem they need to solve.” United can make massive statement Jamie Carragher believes that a Manchester United victory over Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday would send “shockwaves” through the Premier League. United replaced Liverpool at the top of the table with Tuesday’s victory over Burnley. As such, they can go six points clear of the reigning champions with three more points on Merseyside. However, in doing so they would also be inflicting Liverpool’s first home league defeat since May 2017. The Red Devils have the momentum heading into the game – they have not lost in the league since the start of November. Liverpool, meanwhile, have only won two of their last six matches. But Carragher told Sky Sports News that the spotlight will focus more on Jurgen Klopp‘s hosts. “I actually think it’s a bigger game for Liverpool,” the pundit said. “The onus is more on them. “If United got a result there, that’s when the belief would come that they could win the league. “I still think people think United may fall away and Liverpool have still got that edge, but if they won at Anfield that would send shockwaves through the Premier League.” Read more… The post Scholes urges Man Utd to sign centre-back with incredible potential appeared first on teamtalk.com.

Paul Scholes has urged Manchester United to sign an ‘outstanding’ centre-back that would strengthen their title challenge this month.

The Red Devils beat Burnley 1-0 on Tuesday night to hit the Premier League summit ahead of their clash with reigning champions Liverpool on Sunday.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has largely settled on Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof as his defensive pairing this season. However, Eric Bailly has also impressed when called upon, as he did at Turf Moor.

But Scholes still believes that the Ivory Coast star is too “rash” to be playing for a title-chasing side.

Instead, he would like to see Leicester star Wesley Fofana arrive at Old Trafford, only months after he joined the Foxes from St-Etienne in a £36.5million deal.

“When we won titles, so many of our wins at Liverpool were 1-0 or 2-1 after having to dig it out for 80 minutes,” 11-time Premier League-winner Scholes told ESPN .

“You accept you’re going to have days like that against the top teams, when you don’t dominate the game and have to battle to stay in it.

“You have to be able to defend properly and withstand the opposition’s attacks. But I’m still to be convinced that this United side can do that.

“As a back four, I worry about how good they really are.

“At full-back, Aaron Wan-Bissaka is just about defending, which is fine for a game at Liverpool. But I’m not sure what Luke Shaw brings to the team.

“In the middle, Ole still has to find Harry Maguire’s best partner. Eric Bailly has pace, but he is rash and picks up too many injuries.

“Victor Lindelof plays the position better and seems to be Ole’s preferred option. But again, he is not totally convincing.

“If I was Ole and could sign a defender this month, I’d go for Wesley Fofana at Leicester. He’s only 20, but he has been outstanding and he has the potential to be anything he wants to be.

“United have done okay at the back this season, but they have been exposed when playing against the big teams and that’s another problem they need to solve.”

United can make massive statement

Jamie Carragher believes that a Manchester United victory over Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday would send “shockwaves” through the Premier League.

United replaced Liverpool at the top of the table with Tuesday’s victory over Burnley.

As such, they can go six points clear of the reigning champions with three more points on Merseyside. However, in doing so they would also be inflicting Liverpool’s first home league defeat since May 2017.

The Red Devils have the momentum heading into the game – they have not lost in the league since the start of November. Liverpool, meanwhile, have only won two of their last six matches.

But Carragher told Sky Sports News that the spotlight will focus more on Jurgen Klopp‘s hosts.

“I actually think it’s a bigger game for Liverpool,” the pundit said. “The onus is more on them.

“If United got a result there, that’s when the belief would come that they could win the league.

“I still think people think United may fall away and Liverpool have still got that edge, but if they won at Anfield that would send shockwaves through the Premier League.” Read more…

 

The post Scholes urges Man Utd to sign centre-back with incredible potential appeared first on teamtalk.com.

Robert McCarthy