"It has to be a worry" - Paul Scholes admits Manchester City have a 'good chance' of beating Manchester United
Manchester United produced a lackluster display in their Champions League clash with Atalanta on Tuesday evening. They had to rely on Cristiano Ronaldo's brilliance to earn a 2-2 draw.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side will next face Manchester City this weekend. Former midfielder Paul Scholes has warned that the Red Devils could have problems if they perform like they did in the second half of Tuesday's match.
He said:
"With a performance like that second half, and no (Raphael) Varane on Saturday, it has to be a worry. City will think they have a good chance of winning and with no Varane it makes it more difficult for United."
Raphael Varane injury update as "shaky" Man Utd "worry" Paul Scholes in his absence
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Raphael Varane picked up a knock during Tuesday's match and had to be replaced in the 38th minute.
Scholes highlighted that Manchester United's defense was no longer the same without the Frenchman:
"It was a little bit messy. When Varane went off it seemed to go all over the place again. They were really shaky, the quality in the middle of the pitch wasn't great again, giving the ball away far too often.
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He also doesn't think Harry Maguire will impress against Manchester City:
"I don't know if Harry Maguire is still injured or has got a hangover from the Euros, but he doesn't look right, he's not with it at the minute."
How Manchester United and Manchester City have fared ahead of their derby
There's not much separating Manchester United and Manchester City at the moment. The Red Devils currently rank ninth in the Premier League table with 17 points from 10 games, just three points behind their local rivals, who occupy the third spot.
Neither side has had the best of results in recent weeks. Manchester United have won just two of their last six games across all competitions, while Manchester City have bagged three victories in as many games.
Both clubs will be keen to make a huge statement by claiming an important victory when they clash in the Premier League this weekend. It remains to be seen who will end up going home with the bragging rights at Old Trafford.