Scholes: I just don’t see United getting closer to City

MANCHESTER UNITED’S lack of new signings combined with the uncertainty surrounding the team’s strategies and form gives the club a very small chance of challenging for the Premier League title, former midfielder Paul Scholes has said.

United manager Jose Mourinho has expressed his frustration over the club’s transfer activity on multiple occasions, with goalkeeper Lee Grant, midfielder Fred and defender Diogo Dalot the only new arrivals ahead of this season.

United finished 19 points behind champions and cross-town rivals Manchester City in the league last term and Scholes, who played more than 700 matches for United, said the club are lagging behind City and a strengthened Liverpool this season and does not see Mourinho’s side eclipsing their rivals.

“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, who retired in 2013, said.

“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. 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.

“I don’t see them challenging for the league this year.”

Meanwhile, City do not need to win the Champions League to be considered successful as the European competition does not demand the same level of consistency it takes to triumph in the Premier League, midfielder Kevin de Bruyne has said.

The 27-year-old Belgian has been a key part of City’s rise in recent years, with Pep Guardiola’s side clinching the league title after a record-breaking run last season to add to their League Cup triumph.

The Champions League, however, has eluded City’s grasp with the high-flying side falling in the semi-finals in 2016 and knocked out by league rivals Liverpool in the quarter-finals last term.

“I don’t agree that we have to win the Champions League to be a success. It is a big title to win but in the Champions League you don’t need to have the consistency that you need in the league,” De Bruyne said.

“We were great for the whole year, maybe a bit less against Liverpool, and so we were out. It is a tournament, you need to be good at the right time. In the league, if you have a bad spell then you are running behind. It is a different prospect, cup games are different to a league.”

Liverpool have also challenged City in the league, with the Etihad Stadium outfit winning just one of the last five meetings between the sides –- a 5-0 win at home early last season.

De Bruyne believes that Liverpool, who have strengthened significantly in the transfer window, will lead the challenge to de-throne City, along with the rest of the top six, this season.

“The main focus is on us. The other teams are always going to push us, Liverpool did what we did last year. They have spent a lot of money but wisely,” De Bruyne added. – Reuters