Paul Scholes wants Man Utd star axed; Gary Neville and Roy Keane seem to agree
Erik ten Hag is implementing his playing style at Manchester United and Wout Weghorst has had a beneficial effect on the team. However, his limitations in attack are becoming evident, and he has faced some disapproval from former United players who are now pundits.
Prior to Sunday’s defeat to Liverpool, Wout Weghorst’s constant pressing had contributed to one of Manchester United’s best spells since the era of Sir Alex Ferguson. However, despite starting in 14 games since he joined the team in January, Weghorst has only scored one goal, which has led to a heavy reliance on Marcus Rashford’s excellent form.
The recent 7-0 loss at Old Trafford has increased scrutiny on Weghorst’s attacking abilities. United legend Paul Scholes has criticized Weghorst, calling him a ‘defender’ and stating that he does not meet the standard required for United to progress.
He told Premier League Productions: “Weghorst is in the team to be a defender, really.
“You’re talking about a Manchester United number 10 or a centre-forward. He’s in the team to be defensive.
“He’s the one who runs about and rats about, and everybody likes playing with him because he does that.
“But quality-wise as well, you’ve got to have a certain level of quality to play for Man United… it’s not there.”
In February, Roy Keane provided a less harsh evaluation but acknowledged that a Manchester United forward should be contributing more in the form of goals and assists.
“He’s done okay. I think that’s the best compliment I can give him,” Keane explained on Sky Sports.
“Playing for Man United… they need a bit more. Maybe he needs better service, but I want a bit more from him.”
During Manchester United’s 3-0 victory over Leicester City a few days after Roy Keane’s assessment, Gary Neville stated that if a forward was prolific, it would have been more difficult for Besiktas to let him cancel his loan so readily in January.
He said on commentary: “I suppose if Weghorst was taking the chances, he’d be scoring 20 goals a season and wouldn’t be available on a free loan.
“He’s doing a lot of work for the team. I imagine he’s very popular with his teammates, doing a lot of that work that Manchester United’s players in the last couple of seasons have been accused of not putting in.
“But then there’s just that quality thing in the final third, which is maybe what counts in the big games and towards the end of the season. We’ll see.”
Although Wout Weghorst has some limitations, Erik ten Hag will still depend on him in the team’s attacking line while Anthony Martial continues to struggle with injuries.
Paul Scholes wants Man Utd star axed; Gary Neville and Roy Keane seem to agree
