Paul Scholes says playing alongside Manchester United teammate was a 'disaster'

Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has given a brutal summary of what it was like playing alongside Juan Sebastian Veron, branding their partnership "a disaster".

Veron became the most expensive player in English football when he signed for United in a £28.1 million switch from Lazio in 2001.

But despite a promising start and Sir Alex Ferguson backing him publicly, Veron is regarded as one of the most biggest flops in Premier League history.

He was sold to Chelsea after two seasons for £15 million and Scholes, an 11-time Premier League winner, admits he and Veron did not work well together as neither were defensive-minded.

Image: Alamy

Speaking on the latest episode of Gary Neville's The Overlap Xtra, Scholes explained: "I played with Nicky [Butt], I played with Roy [Keane] – Michael Carrick. I loved playing with all of them. It wasn’t great playing with people who [were] attacking people, I needed someone who played that position really well."

Neville interjected, and asked, "Someone like Veron, you mean?".

Image: Alamy

That prompted Scholes to explain why he and Veron weren't a good fit - adding that he had the same problem with Anderson and needed that sitting midfield to free him up.

"Yeah, me and Veron were a disaster," Scholes said.

"I think me and Anderson did it once. Just, no, it’s not working, is it? Just two lads who don’t care about defending, don’t know the [defensive] position that well.

"But it worked better with a Michael or a Roy or a Nicky. They were brilliant playing that position, they knew.

"I didn’t know the position that well, I didn’t play in the position that well, as you know."

Image: Alamy

Scholes spent his entire career at United, scoring 155 goals from midfield in 718 appearances. In the chat, he also revealed he was nearly reduced to tears in Ferguson's team talk after Sergio Aguero's last-gasp goal against QPR snatched the title away from United on the final day of the 2011/12 campaign.

Scholes had come out of retirement mid-season and was left distraught in the Sunderland away dressing room after the late drama

“I nearly cried," he admitted.

“It made it worse, because City playing QPR, we just didn't think it would be a problem. We went to Sunderland thinking it don't matter.

“We didn't think we'd won the league [at full-time]. You don't think like that, do you?”

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Topics: Manchester United, Paul Scholes, Premier League

Josh Lawless

Josh is a sports journalist who specialises in football and wrestling. He has been published by Curzon Ashton FC, Late Tackle, Manchester City FC, The Mirror, Read Man City and Manchester Evening News. He provides coverage of professional wrestling and has interviewed some of the biggest names in the field - including the first UK interview with The Hardy Boyz after their return to WWE. He has never sported a pair of Lonsdale Slip-ons, contrary to reports.

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