Paul Scholes names Premier League manager Ruben Amorim must ‘study’ and learn from
The United legend has urged Amorim to learn from one of his rivals.
Paul Scholes believes Ruben Amorim can learn from Mikel Arteta – insisting he would swap Manchester United’s season for Arsenal’s ‘all day long’ even if they win the Europa League.
The Gunners are heading towards another trophyless season after crashing out of the Champions League midweek, beaten 3-1 on aggregate by Paris Saint-Germain.
Ahead of their trip to Anfield on Sunday where they will give the new champions a guard of honour, Arsenal face a scrap to hold onto second place with Manchester City, Newcastle United and Chelsea hot on their heels.
United meanwhile have endured a thoroughly miserable league campaign, stuck down in 15th place. But they will have the chance to salvage silverware when they take on Tottenham in the Europa League final on 21 May.
While United could still finish the season with a trophy, Scholes would rather his old side be in Arsenal’s position right now.
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The club legend believes Amorim should seek to replicate the work Arteta has done at the Emirates, building on two eighth place finishes having finished runners up in the last two campaigns.
‘I think Mikel Arteta has done an absolutely brilliant job at Arsenal since he first joined the club,’ Scholes said on his TNT Sports column.
‘He could possibly finish second for the third year in a row and I think Ruben Amorim can take a lot from what Arteta has done over these last five to six years at Arsenal.
‘Imagine if Amorim can get United up to second in the Premier League and into the semi-final of the Champions League in the next three or four years. I would swap United’s season this year for Arsenal’s campaign even if they go on and win the Europa League. All day long.’
While Arsenal have not won a trophy since lifting the FA Cup in Arteta’s first season in charge, Scholes believes they are close to getting ‘over the line’
‘Arsenal just need to get over that line. The next step for them is going on and winning a big one, and I don’t think they’re far off achieving that.
‘We can all say they keep finishing second, but it’s a lot closer compared to where Man Utd are right now. I would like United to be in a position where they get the chance to “bottle it” if that makes sense.
‘It wouldn’t be a bad example for Amorim to take. He can have a look at Arsenal and just study what Arteta has done over recent years, and it might be the starting block for United.
‘I believe once Man Utd can start finishing second and manage to make it into the Champions League semi-finals, they have the experience and history to go on and win it because they’ve proven they can do it.
‘A team like Arsenal haven’t constantly proven that they can go and win big trophies year after year.’
