Henrikh Mkhitaryan started Manchester United’s Super Cup clash against Real Madrid
Henrikh Mkhitaryan started Manchester United’s Super Cup clash against Real Madrid

Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has identified the four key attacking players who must make significant improvements if Jose Mourinho’s side are to challenge for major honours this season.

United won two major trophies in Jose Mourinho’s first season in charge but finished a lowly sixth in the Premier League, a distant 24 points behind eventual champions Chelsea.

Mourinho has invested over £150million on reinforcements over the summer, including Nemanja Matic from Chelsea and Scholes feels the midfield enforcer could be the key to unlocking the potential in Paul Pogba, Anthony Martial, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Jesse Lingard.

‘I really like the Matic signing, that was the one that surprised me a little bit,’ Scholes told BT Sport.

‘It makes you wonder ‘why did Chelsea sell him?’

Paul Scholes feels Nemanja Matic could be a key signing for Manchester United (Picture: Getty)

‘I think he brings aggression to United’s midfield, which is something they have been lacking.

‘I think he’s very similar in a way to Michael Carrick. He’s a controlling midfielder but what he brings which Michael doesn’t is a little bit of aggression. He gets to the ball, he tackles, he allows other people to play

‘You saw that with Chelsea last year – him and Kante were magnificent last year and that allowed Hazard, Fabregas, whoever else was playing that bit of freedom, and I’m hoping he’ll do that for United – a bit of freedom for Pogba, Martial, Lingard, Mkhitaryan – these players really need to step up this year.’

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