Paul Scholes has described his midfield collaboration with Juan Sebastian Veron on Manchester United as ‘a disaster’.
Scholes is widely regarded as one of the greatest midfielders in United’s history, winning 11 Premier League titles, three FA Cups and two Champions League trophies during his career at Old Trafford.
But the 47-year-old admits he found it difficult when he was not matched with a defensive midfielder, with Veron and Anderson named as two players he struggled to play next to.
Veron, who came to United in 2001 on a £28.1 million transfer from Lazio, only lasted two seasons at Old Trafford before being sold at a significant loss to Chelsea.
When asked to name his favorite midfield partner, Scholes told former United teammate Gary Neville the overlap: ‘It didn’t really matter to me.
‘I played with Nicky’ [Butt]I played with Roy [Keane] —Michael Carrick. I loved playing with all of them. It wasn’t great to play with people who [were] attacking people, I needed someone to play that [defensive] positioning very well.’
Marcel then asked, “Someone like Veron, you mean?”
Scholes replied, “Yeah, me and Veron were a disaster.
“I think me and Anderson did it once. Only, no, it doesn’t work, does it? Just two guys who don’t care about defending, who don’t know the [defensive] position as well.
“But it worked better with a Michael or a Roy or a Nicky. They were brilliant in that position, they knew that.
“I didn’t know the position very well, I didn’t play very well in the position, as you know. You were always whining about “stay with your runners” and stuff. [I’d reply] ‘You get them! He runs towards you, you can see them, can’t you?’ I had to play with someone who was disciplined.’
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