Paul Scholes says Manchester United duo ‘aren’t great footballers’ and don’t suit Erik ten Hag’s style

Paul Scholes believes Erik ten Hag has had to quickly adapt his philosophy away from the possession football he prefers and claims two Manchester United stars are not good enough footballers to play that way.

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The Dutch coach, who arrived from Ajax in the summer, lost his first two Premier League matches in charge of the club against Brighton and Brentford, trying to play out from the back in both defeats.

Since then, United have moved away from focusing on possession and have built up their play far quicker and more directly, with David de Gea notably now kicking the ball long rather than playing it short.

Whether by accident or design, Scholes feels it was an integral tactical switch to make and believes neither De Gea or Raphael Varane – two regulars in Ten Hag’s line-up – can play the way the manager ideally wants.

‘Louis Van Gaal joined Manchester United and wanted to play possession-based football, but United are not that,’ said Scholes on Sky Sports’ The Overlap.

‘It was always about substance over style, scoring goals and making chances rather than a pretty end product.

‘The crowd get nervous when the goalkeeper tries to play a ten-yard pass, that’s not a Manchester United philosophy, that’s Barcelona or Ajax. With Erik ten Hag, he’s stumbled across it.

‘After the Brentford game, he realised he didn’t have the players to play that way, he knew he had to go more direct.

‘Raphael Varane, as great a player as he’s been, is not a great footballer. David De Gea is not a great footballer.

‘So, play to your strengths, which for United is the attacking players, and you have to admire the new manager for playing that way [more direct].’

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