Paul Scholes received the full approval of Roy Keane and Gary Neville for one Manchester United accomplishment under Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford.
The 50-year-old Manchester United legend raised the point ahead of the Red Devils’ forthcoming Europa League semi-final clash on Thursday evening at Old Trafford.
Ruben Amorim’s men will host La Liga outfit Athletic Club for their second-leg showdown and a place in the 2025 Europa League final is hanging in the balance.
United hold a major advantage over Athletic Club after the Red Devils defeated the Spanish side 3-0 in the first-leg semi-final clash in Bilbao last Thursday.
Following United’s result against Athletic Club at the San Mames Stadium, the Red Devils returned to Premier League action last Sunday against Brentford.
Ruben Amorim’s side walked away empty-handed from the Gtech Community Stadium after Brentford clinched a 4-3 win over United in the Premier League tie.
The remainder of United’s woeful season relies on their success in the 2024-25 Europa League campaign and Amorim’s men cannot afford any slip-ups now.
United languish in 15th place in the Premier League table and they cannot secure a route back to Europe for next season via their league finish in the current campaign.
Paul Scholes compares Ruben Amorim potentially winning the Europa League to a previous Man Utd feat under Sir Alex Ferguson
The Europa League trophy would allow Ruben Amorim to lift his first piece of silverware as Manchester United manager before the 2024-25 season is out.
United would also secure their place in the Champions League for the 2025-26 campaign if the Red Devils can lift the Europa League title this season.
Paul Scholes insisted that United winning the Europa League wouldn’t feel like a major milestone for the Red Devils amid a turbulent season at Old Trafford.
The 50-year-old former England and United midfielder singled out the 1991 European Cup Winners’ Cup under Sir Alex Ferguson as a comparison.
“It is for some teams, but United in the Europa League doesn’t feel like it’s a trophy,” Scholes said on the Stick to Football podcast.
“But then you go back years… you [Gary Neville] said about the Cup Winners’ Cup.
“That felt big for United then, wasn’t it? But it’s just times, I suppose, isn’t it?”
Gary Neville and Roy Keane felt the same way as Scholes over his comparison, with Keane admitting that the Europa League wouldn’t save United’s season as a whole.
“But it’s like this trophy now for United if they get it,” Keane said on The Overlap.
“It’s almost still a failure from last season. It’s like a reward…”
Ruben Amorim sends important message to Man Utd fans ahead of the Europa League clash vs Athletic Club at Old Trafford
Speaking in United Review, Ruben Amorim insisted that United have received a “boost” by playing the second-leg semi-final tie at Old Trafford against Athletic Club.
“Athletic Club are a very good team, and they caused us problems in the opening stages in San Mames, so we cannot just assume the game will go the same way it did last Thursday,” he said, as per Manchester United’s official website.
“We will need total focus and effort to keep control of the game, and the tie.
“It is a boost to be playing the second leg at home because we know what a special place Old Trafford can be on European nights, as we saw in the quarter-final against Lyon last month, when the fans helped us get over the line.
“The support we have received throughout such a difficult season has been incredible and we want to reward our fans by winning the UEFA Europa League.”
United and Athletic Club’s second-leg semi-final showdown at Old Trafford in the Europa League is scheduled for an 8pm kick-off time in the UK.
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