Paul Scholes insists ‘jury’s still out’ on Manchester United starter

Manchester United legend Paul Scholes remains unconvinced that Senne Lammens is the goalkeeper that can help the club return to former glories.

The Red Devils are back in the Champions League this season under Michael Carrick, but the possibility of challenging for the Premier League title still seems a distant prospect.

Carrick’s side has won just one of their opening four league games, losing to Hull City and Manchester City, while being held to a 2-2 draw at Everton.

New signings Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans have come into the team, while Carrick is still waiting for Carlos Baleba to be available after injury.

Manchester United brought in a new front three of Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha last year and have revamped the midfield this summer.

Scholes expects the defence to be improved next year and does not think much success can come before that happens.

Lammens was brought in last year and quickly established himself as first choice in goal, but the former midfielder is not sure he is the long-term answer.

‘I think they’re doing it in sections, that’s what it looks like,’ Scholes said on The Good, The Bad and The Football. ‘They sorted the forwards out last year and the forwards look alight. They still probably need a top class centre-forward, I’m not sure how much confidence they have in Sesko, although I think he has got better.

‘It looks like they did the midfield this year and it feels like the defence will probably come next year.

‘At this moment in time, defensively, they’re always going to concede goals in that team.

‘What team have you seen win the Premier League without a top class goalkeeper? Lammens might be that, I don’t know, I think the jury’s probably still out on that. Then you build from the back four.

‘The way Arsenal started three or four years ago Defensively they have been absolutely brilliant. You need a top class goalkeeper. You think of Liverpool’s team with Alisson, City’s teams, Raya at Arsenal. Man United with Peter Schmeichel and Edwin van der Sar.

‘They’ve all got brilliant, brilliant goalkeepers. You start from the back, of course you do.’

Scholes also expressed concern about the left-back position at his former club, with Luke Shaw already picking up an injury.

It was expected that Manchester United would sign another player in that position over the summer but they didn’t and Patrick Dorgu will be understudy to Shaw, which is a worry for Scholes.

‘They obviously thought with the Luke Shaw situation at left-back, that Dorgu would be okay,’ he said. ‘Well I don’t know if he is going to be okay there.’