For the final third of the 2005-2006 season, Ryan Giggs and John O’Shea proved to be the best central midfield pairing we had. Our team was ravaged by injuries, meaning even the likes of Richardson had a stint in the centre of our midfield. It was painful.

Times have changed vastly since then, with Sir Alex Ferguson being spoilt for choice when it comes to our midfield options.

In a season where United were crowned Champions of England and Europe, Ferguson rotated the midfield positions frequently, and our best combination has still not been decided upon.

So what does Scholes make of his competition?

Carrick
Michael is a top player who brings a relaxed nature to the team. He can pick the ball up anywhere on the pitch and pass it long or short. He can also tackle and score goals, so he can do everything. He’s just a really good player to play with.

Hargreaves
I knew Owen before he joined from our England days. He’s a great athlete who gets about the pitch very well and is a good passer of the ball. Last season was a bit stop-start for him because of injuries, but once he got some more games under his belt, he proved what a top player he is.

Fletcher
All the players know what a quality player Fletch is. He was unfortunate not to play for parts of last season, but you have to give him credit for sticking at it. He never moaned, he just continued to train well every day and more than anyone he deserved his chance. Whenever he plays he’s fantastic for the team and he showed that against Arsenal in the FA Cup victory back in February. It was unbelievable to see the way he ran about, despite not having really played for a couple of months.

Anderson
He improved as last season went on and is a great prospect. It’s a well known fact that foreign players can take time to settle, but in truth it didn’t take him that long. He’s been fantastic whenever he’s played. He’s only 20-years-old so it’s amazing to think what he could achieve in his career.




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