Paul Scholes has expressed his views on Erik ten Hag’s dynamic with a particular Manchester United player.
United’s lackluster start to the Premier League season continued with a goalless draw against Crystal Palace on Saturday. After the match, Scholes, a club legend, pointed out that Ten Hag seems eager to replace Harry Maguire with Matthijs de Ligt.
Maguire’s position at United has been in doubt for the last two years, often facing criticism from fans and analysts. His difficulties prompted Ten Hag to sign De Ligt for £43 million this summer, and Scholes believes that De Ligt’s quick inclusion in the starting lineup reflects Ten Hag’s long-term goal of replacing Maguire.
On the *Overlap Fan Debate*, Scholes remarked that Ten Hag “couldn’t wait to get De Ligt in ahead of Maguire; he was just waiting for the chance.”
However, Scholes is not entirely convinced that De Ligt represents a major improvement over Maguire. He stated, “Honestly, I’m not sure it’s that much of an improvement. He might be slightly better, but not to the extent where you think, ‘Wow.’”
Scholes also pointed out Ten Hag’s cautious approach when it comes to integrating new players. He mentioned that “Manuel Ugarte was introduced to the fans during the Liverpool game, but then he went away with Uruguay. With South American players, sometimes they don’t return until a Friday, and then they’re expected to play a Saturday lunchtime game.”
He added, “Ten Hag seems to take his time with new players, like De Ligt being benched at Bayern behind Eric Dier for no clear reason, and now this? So, are we not allowed to rotate anymore?”
This prompted a fan response, with one stating, “Scholes was an incredible player, but you just know he’d make an awful manager.”
