Paul Scholes has compared Jurgen Klopp with Sir Alex Ferguson - and admitted that Manchester United are so far behind Liverpool.
Speaking ahead of their Champions League last-16 second-leg tie against Atletico Madrid, Scholes confessed that United are lacking a coach of Ferguson ’s stature and used Liverpool boss Klopp as a modern-day example that he wished was in charge of the club.
“I think they’re (United) an elite coach away from challenging for trophies again,” Scholes, who won a glut of honours at Old Trafford under Ferguson, told BT Sport. "They’ve got a good squad with some top players, but for the last three or four years, they’ve not had an elite coach.
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"You need a manager that strikes fear into players. Sir Alex Ferguson had that, have any of the managers since him had that? I don’t think so. It’s a special talent to have as a coach. Those Man City players under Pep (Guardiola), those Liverpool players under Klopp, they’ll get away with nothing. These players here (United) for the last two or three years have got away with murder.
“I’m not saying they’ll catch Man City or Liverpool, but I don’t think they’re far away from Chelsea, squad-wise, but once they get that right coach and have two or three years to build, they’ll be challenging again.”
Despite his irritatingly consistent ability to win trophies from a Liverpool perspective, Ferguson did not always get it right when he came up against the Reds . But few would blame Scholes for looking back to his glory days as a player.
United’s most recent trophy is the Europa League, which was won under Jose Mourinho in 2017. In that time, Liverpool have lifted the Premier League, Champions League and Club World Cup under Klopp.
Much to Scholes’ and United fans’ added frustration, Klopp’s side have already claimed the Carabao Cup this season and remain in the hunt for an unprecedented quadruple.
United, in contrast, will finish another season trophyless. Ralf Rangnick's side were knocked out of the Champions League on Tuesday as they lost 1-0 to Atletico Madrid at Old Trafford after drawing the first leg 1-1.
