Paul Scholes vs Xabi Alonso: Man Utd legend’s crazy 2007 red card remembered

Paul Scholes is mostly remembered for his great goals and incredible passing ability – and deservedly so.

The Manchester United legend is unquestionably one of the best players of the Premier League era.

But those who watched Scholes play week-in, week-out won’t forget that there was another side to the central midfielder.

It became a running joke that Scholes was incapable of timing his tackles, resulting in 97 bookings and even four red cards during his illustrious 20-year career.

In 2011, though, the man himself insisted that suggestions he couldn’t tackle were wide of the mark.

“Of course I can tackle. There’s plenty of evidence of being able to tackle,” the former England international told BBC Radio Five Live, per the Evening Standard.

“I was just getting people back. If someone got me early in the game it was always in the back of my mind that I needed to get them back.

“I didn’t always do it on purpose, some of it was just bad timing, I suppose.

“But I think throughout my career the record wasn’t that bad, there were not that many yellow cards. Well, I suppose a few yellow cards, but not many sendings-off. But I think towards the end every time I made one tackle I got booked, because of my reputation I suppose.”

One of those red cards came at Anfield during a memorable Premier League clash between United and Liverpool in March 2007.

From the game that’s best remembered for John O’Shea’s injury-time winning goal in front of the Kop, it’s often forgotten that Scholes was sent off minutes earlier following an altercation with Xabi Alonso.

Scholes controlled the ball before turning around and aiming a punch at Alonso after Liverpool’s Spanish midfielder held onto his arm.

Watch the incident here:

When Scholesy lost