Manchester United legend Paul Scholes is impressed with the midfield partnership of Tottenham Hotspur duo Nabil Bentaleb and Ryan Mason.
Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has been singing the praises of Tottenham Hotspur duo Nabil Bentaleb and Ryan Mason in The Independent.
The two Spurs players have formed a formidable central midfield partnership, which has been key in the North London outfit’s ‘success’ so far this campaign.
Both Bentaleb and Mason are enjoying a breakthrough season at White Hart Lane, and have been two of the best players in their position in the Premier League.
Former United midfielder Scholes has now highlighted what he finds the most impressive about the Tottenham duo.
“The Spurs midfield, for example, has Nabil Bentaleb and Ryan Mason at the centre, two players I like,” the 40-year-old wrote in The Independent.
“They get to the ball quickly and close opponents down. If the aim is to pass around them, then you have to be very polished in that kind of possession-style game.”
Bentaleb and Mason are not without their faults, but as the following Opta Stats table shows, they have indeed performed brilliantly so far this season.
| Ball Recovery | Touches | Unsuccessful Touch | Dispossessed | Total Tackles | Tackles Won | Total Pass | Accurate Cross | Appearances | Mins Played | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nabil Bentaleb | 103 | 1,139 | 13 | 10 | 36 | 27 | 934 | 797 | 16 | 1,298 |
| Ryan Mason | 75 | 1,355 | 22 | 14 | 70 | 54 | 1,047 | 861 | 21 | 1,579 |
Tottenham are currently sixth in the Premier League table with 50 points from 28 matches, just three points behind fourth-placed United.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side will take on the Red Devils away from home in the league on Sunday.
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