As Manchester United ground out yet another drab draw against Crystal Palace, John Giles believes that he has identified where they are going wrong.

The result at Selhurst Park was United's third 0-0 draw in a row and believes that their reliance on Bruno Fernandes is being shown by the lack of support for the Portuguese.

Manchester United

It is the link between defence and attack that is the problem for Giles, as he explained.

"He is dependent on people getting the ball to him, and I don't believe that Manchester United have got the people who can get the ball to him in positions where he is really dangerous when it comes to the top matches.

"If it comes to playing Brighton, then that is not Chelsea or Liverpool so they can get the ball to him in those particular matches. He is dependent on them - he is not a playmaker, he is a finisher. He can score goals himself and make them, but he is dependent on getting the balls from a deeper position and Manchester United are not providing for him.

"It is a bit unfair for people to be saying of him 'he is not doing it against the big teams' - it is not that he is not trying, it is that the bigger teams don't let them get the ball to him as the inferior teams do."

Solution

So how can Manchester United combat this situation?

"What they need is a young Scholes. I know that there are not as many young midfielders as good as he was.

"Scholes was deeper, he initiated it from a deep position. He could get the ball to Fernandes in the position that he plays best. When Fernandes plays, he is a striking player coming from midfield. He is not a midfield player at all."

Solskjaer

Given the regard in which Giles holds Scholes, that will be a tricky task for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ed Woodward.

"Scholes was brilliant; initiated things and linked things up from back to front. Scholes was, in my opinion, a world-class player.

"If you watch Fernandes play, he is very seldom near his own penalty box. He is a goalscorer and maker from a deep position. But he needs that ball to get into him in the position where he is best."

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