In an interview with Premier League Productions after Manchester United's 0-3 home defeat to Liverpool in the 3rd round of the Premier League, Manchester United star Scholes was sharply critical of United's performance and expressed his concerns about the team's behind-the-scenes training efforts.
Scholes began by noting the significant difference in form between Liverpool and United on the pitch: "The biggest thing I noticed watching the players from the sidelines was that Liverpool looked fitter and more athletic. In contrast, the United players looked out of shape. It took Menu some time to get into form, Bruno Fernandes also looked a little sluggish, while new signing Zylkiser clearly needed more game time to settle in."
Further worrying, he said, "Although the season has only just begun, these issues are already very worrying to me. I can't help but wonder if the team is training hard enough behind the scenes to be as fit as they should be. They don't look fit enough and that makes me very uneasy."
Speaking about the problems of United's backline, Scholes was even more blunt: "If you have a center back who can't play a full game, that's definitely a big problem. It means the team is not healthy enough from the start, and the back line should be the most stable part of the team. You may switch out wing-backs for tactical reasons, but both center-backs should be able to play the full game. However, it's unbelievable that United have changed center backs in each of their first three games. How can a center back not be healthy enough?"
Scholes also criticized the excuses of United's players: "You can use the Europa League as an excuse and say that the players need a little bit of time to get back in shape. But I will say that Liverpool also have players in the Europa League, and other teams have players in it too. Why don't I see them struggling? United's players need to train harder and play with more focus to get out of their current predicament."
Scholes' criticism has undoubtedly sounded the alarm for Manchester United. As a traditional powerhouse, United need to quickly adjust their form and improve the quality of their training in the upcoming matches in order to regain their competitiveness in the fierce Premier League.
