Paul Scholes says he was ‘so wrong’ to initially think that Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool would challenge for the Premier League title this season ahead of their clash against Manchester United at Anfield on Sunday.
The Old Trafford legend added that he has also been left shocked at how Manchester United are ten points clear of Liverpool in the table, as he lauded Erik ten Hag for the club’s turnaround in fortunes.
Just under a year ago, Manchester United were getting ripped apart by the quadruple-chasing Reds with a certain interim Ralph Rangnick in charge.
Well, fast forward to the present, and there are some on the red side of Manchester making the argument that they are now chasing four trophies ahead of their Merseyside challenge.
Erik ten Hag, who took charge of the 20-time champions in the summer, has been the mastermind behind this and the proof of that was their League Cup triumph against Newcastle United last Sunday at Wembley.
Well, the current situation of both Liverpool and Manchester United, compared to 12 months ago, is something Scholes didn’t expect, as he told Premier League Productions (05/03/23 at 1:05 pm).
“Not a chance (on him expecting Man United to be 10 points clear of Liverpool compared to their defeat at Anfield 12 months ago),” said Scholes.
“Working at the game on the night. The teams were miles apart.
“I have been a little surprised by Liverpool’s season. I was actually on here thinking Liverpool have a great chance of winning the league this year. I was so wrong.
“The improvements this new manager (Erik ten Hag) has made have been off-the-scale. Even this season, you think after the first two games ‘God we are in trouble again’. But what he has done is bring personalities and characters into the team. You think of Casemiro and Martinez. They are real leaders and they have brought people together.”
LIVERPOOL V MANCHESTER UNITED
It has been some while since both sets of clubs have been challenging near the top of the table at the same time.
Proof of that is this season, whilst Man United rise, their old rivals have dropped off big time and a big clear-out is expected in the summer.
Come next season, with Man United hoping to take an extra step under ten Hag, can Liverpool re-charge their batteries and challenge for the title again, but this time locking horns with both Manchester clubs and Mikel Arteta’s young Arsenal side?
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