ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE:PAUL SCHOLES' fellow goalscorers were unrestrained in their praise of the veteran following his imperious display in Wednesday night's Premier League win over Fulham.
“He is one of the best ever,” heralded Wayne Rooney. “I don’t think there is anyone else in the world like Paul Scholes,” Dimitar Berbatov claimed.
The man himself analysed his first league goal of the season in a more characteristic manner. “I don’t think it was one of my better ones,” he said, without a hint of self-deprecation. Naturally.
While it was welcome to hear the 34-year-old has lost none of his ability to puncture hype with brutal honesty, it was the sight of him orchestrating a five-point lead at the Premier League summit that comforted Manchester United most of all on Wednesday .
Scholes’s influence has been restricted to only 19 appearances this season, and Fulham made for accommodating visitors it must be said, but his performance against Roy Hodgson’s team confirmed he retains a major influence over United’s pursuit of a third successive league title.
It must also reassure Alex Ferguson that in Scholes and the 35-year-old Ryan Giggs he still has two exemplary veterans who reflect his insatiable demand for improvement. They remain key to ensuring no complacency creeps into United’s relentless march.
“The only disappointing thing was we didn’t go on and score four or five in the second half,” reflected Scholes after United stretched their Premier League run to nine successive victories.
“We’ll settle for three and Wayne coming on and scoring with his first touch as well. Wayne doesn’t look rusty. He’s been off for five weeks and trained really well. He’s looked good in training and that showed when he came on and scored.
“Every win is a big win now. We’ve got a five-point lead and that’s a good one to have but there’s a long way to go yet. We’ve got 13 games left and we’ve got Liverpool to come here as well so they’ll still fancy their chances. They’re still playing quite well as well. It’s still going to be tight, I think.”
Scholes and Giggs have been employed with increasing care by Ferguson this season, although the Welshman has made nine more appearances than the midfielder from Salford, and Scholes admitted that his first league goal since August 2007 was long overdue.
“Over the years I’ve always contributed with some goals,” he said. “But that’s not been the case over the last couple. Hopefully that’s the start of a few more to come.”
As Berbatov, who scored United’s second against Fulham following a sublime pass from Scholes to John O’Shea, said: “I don’t think there is anyone else in the world like Paul Scholes.
“He is the only person who can shoot with that accuracy. His passing and the way he changes the game is brilliant. Every manager would be happy to have him but it is our luck he plays for us.”
Rooney, who marked his return from a hamstring injury with his 15th goal of the season, added: “Paul Scholes is amazing. Some of his football against Fulham, I don’t think any other footballer in the world could produce. In my eyes he is one of the best ever.”
Rooney has revealed there were times during the past month when he wondered how on earth he was going to get back into the United team.
“You think ‘How am I going to get back into this team?’ It is a dream to be involved. It just gets better with each game.”
Ferguson now has a selection problem, if not for Saturday’s encounter with Blackburn – when a 15th consecutive clean sheet for Edwin van der Sar would see him set a European record for the length of time without conceding a league goal – then certainly the following week’s Champions League encounter with Inter Milan and the League Cup final on March 1st.
After another solid performance, this time at right back, which included the assist for Berbatov’s 12th goal of the season, it will be hard to tell O’Shea he is not involved providing he recovers from a minor heel injury.
