Keane voices rare praise for Utd star after ‘beautiful’ moment – but Scholes thinks he’ll be replaced this summer

Stretty News

·14. April 2025

Keane voices rare praise for Utd star after ‘beautiful’ moment – but Scholes thinks he’ll be replaced this summer

To say Manchester United’s legends are hard to please is an understatement. In fairness, there’s not been much to shout about since their exits.

The likes of Roy Keane, Gary Neville and Paul Scholes are frequently in the headlines over their comments on their former club, with all renowned for being brazenly critical of how the side has fared – particularly in recent years.

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Only last week was Keane dismissing the idea of the Reds’ season being a successful one if they win the Europa League; partly because a team of United’s stature shouldn’t be in Europe’s second-best competition in the first place but also primarily due to their Premier League form, which, after last night, has left Ruben Amorim’s men in 14th place with 14 defeats to their name.

He did, however, reserve special praise for Alejandro Garnacho’s finish to initially draw United level at St. James’ Park on Sunday afternoon.

Roy Keane praises Garnacho – days after Paul Scholes branded him ‘erratic’

(Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

There were only 13 minutes between Sandro Tonali’s opener and Garnacho’s equaliser, with the Argentine capitalising on a superb United counter-attack before cleverly tucking his strike into the bottom corner of Nick Pope’s goal.

“[For] Garnacho, [end product] is probably one of his weakest parts of his game, [but] I have no complaints there,” said Keane on Sky Sports during the interval, after which United went on to concede a further three goals.

“Takes a lovely touch with his right foot, comes on to his left, and a beautiful finish. He needs to do more of that. We saw a lovely composure and United [are] back in the game. Absolutely brilliant. He needs to see more of that. That’s where he needs to improve his game, his end product. No complaints this time.”

Garnacho’s contribution marked his 10th goal of the term in all competitions in a season where he’s often come under fire for his lacklustre showings – so much so that Paul Scholes claimed after last week’s draw with Lyon that the 20-year-old was at risk of being replaced for a more clinical attacker this summer.

“You look at the goal record from the last 25, 26 games. I think Garnacho scored one, and Rasmus Hojlund scored three in the Premier League this season. It’s not quite up to the level I think it is needed,” the ex-midfielder told the TNT Sports panel.

“So I think improvements are going to have to be made in that area of pitch [in the summer transfer window]. But I think improvements right through the team are going to be needed. We’ve all watched the Champions League games on Tuesday, Wednesday night. You watch the level of that game tonight, and it’s way below where you need to be.

“As we saw, especially in that first half, there was a time when the ball went up to Hojlund and into Garnacho. They’re so erratic and so poor in possession that there’s almost no belief in them either. There’s no conviction in what they’re trying to do. We all know goals are a big problem for this team, and quality is needed all around this team to make it anywhere near a Champions League team.”