Paul Scholes picks Barcelona's Pedri as favourite player after UCL game

Manchester United legend Paul Scholes was full of praise for Barcelona star Pedri after watching the La Liga giants beat Newcastle 2-1 in the Champions League

Paul Scholes has named Barcelona star Pedri as his new favourite footballer after another virtuoso display. The La Liga giants were in Champions League action on Thursday night as they beat Newcastle 2-1 at St James’ Park.

Marcus Rashford stole the headlines on his return to an English stadium, scoring a brace including a stunning second from distance. But it was the quiet efficiency of Pedri in midfield which caught Scholes’ eye.

The Manchester United legend posted an image of Barcelona's number 8 Pedri, with the caption ‘My new favourite footballer’.

The Spain international made a similar impact on Rashford, who swapped Old Trafford for the Camp Nou, admitting he was blown away by his talent.

“If you didn’t know his age, you’d think he was 28 or 29 because he’s very mature and understands the game perfectly,” he said earlier this summer. "He plays at his own pace, and that makes it easy for strikers to keep up with him.”

Scholes’ comments come after he admitted that the options at his beloved United aren’t working as their slump continues. Under-pressure manager Ruben Amorim is strictly sticking to his 3-4-2-1 formation, despite their prolonged struggles.

United spent big on forwards during the summer, bringing in Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko for a combined £193million, but neglected recruiting a new midfielder.

That has left Amorim struggling to build an effective partnership in midfield, with Bruno Fernandes being utilised deeper alongside the ageing Casemiro.

And Scholes, who formed one of the Premier League ’s best ever midfields, thinks that was an error of judgement.

He said: "I don't think the quality is there.Whatever two out of the four or five they have got in [midfield] - Casemiro, Bruno [Fernandes], [Kobbie] Mainoo - whatever combination he seems to try doesn't seem to work.

"That's a big issue. I thought all summer the absolute priority was a centre midfield player with legs, who can play and can control a game.

"The recruitment side went to buy forwards. That did need addressing, but did it need three of them? I'm not sure it did."

Amorim defiantly defended his midfield selections in the wake of their humbling 3-0 defeat to neighbours Manchester City. "Guys, I understand how football is," Amorim said. "The results will dictate all the narratives.

"I am trying to be rational and I don't lie to myself. I see the record. I understand the frustration of everybody and I understand any decision that came with that.

“But that conversation about the two midfielders, the pair, Kobbie and Manu [Ugarte], I understand all these narratives. But then when I look at certain games, we play with two. It is the same thing.

"I am trying to do different things, trying to imagine the game. And then when you don't win, it doesn't work, you take the critics. But that's it."