Paul Scholes Comments on Daley Blind, Antonio Valencia After Manchester Derby

Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes has singled out Daley Blind and Antonio Valencia as weak links following the team’s loss to Manchester City on Saturday.

The Red Devils were found wanting at Old Trafford in the derby, as Pep Guardiola’s side showed their class in a pulsating contest. City unpicked United brilliantly in the first period to go up 2-0, and Scholes has lamented the poor defending of Blind that contributed to the double setback, per Stuart Mathieson of the Manchester Evening News:

"

Blind is a better defensive midfielder for United than he is a centre-back but he’s been an excellent partner for Eric Bailly so far this season, hence why Chris Smalling is not in the team at the moment yet he’s not won everybody over yet.

Why? Because he’s physically limited in the Premier League and people are expecting him to be found at some point, I suppose I still am, and against City he was found wanting against a dynamic Kevin de Bruyne.

I would rather see Smalling partner Bailly in the long-term.

"

The former England international then turned his attention to Valencia, who has been one of United’s standout performers early in the season. 

"As for Valencia, he’s not a right-back," Scholes stated, per Mathieson. "He never will be, regardless of how good his form is at any one time. But Matteo Darmian hasn’t got a sniff yet, and there are different questions to ask about whether Timothy Fosu-Mensah is ready to start right there, so it’s a more difficult situation."

Alex Livesey/Getty Images

Blind was certainly culpable for the City opener, as he was slow to react to danger, allowing De Bruyne a free run at goal.

Even so, Jonny Singer of the Daily Mail feels as though the Dutchman wasn’t aided by poor play from Bailly:

There are a lot of excellent qualities Blind adds to the centre of defence. His passing is pinpoint from the back, and being left-sided, he’s able to open up the pitch easily. Additionally, the former Ajax man reads the game well and typically times tackles to perfection.

However, he can occasionally be bullied by physical forwards or cute attackers, as was the case with City’s second goal; De Bruyne escaped the attention of the United centre-backs again, and his shot fell perfectly for Kelechi Iheanacho after rebounding off the post.

Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

Valencia wasn’t directly involved in the concession of either goal, although there are concerns about his suitability as a full-back. Nevertheless, football journalist Liam Canning feels as though he’s made improvements:

Attacking is certainly the Ecuadorian's strength, as he’s adept at making surging runs from deep positions and fizzing crosses into the box. But there was an uneasiness about his defensive work on Saturday, as Nolito and De Bruyne linked up well on the left flank.

As Scholes noted, United manager Jose Mourinho has yet to give Darmian a chance, and you sense his defensive skills would have provided United with a sturdier base against City. The Italy international may not be as big a threat in the final third, although he’s watchful and composed at the back. That's something Mourinho must consider in big games to come.