Scholes picks Mainoo over Class of '92 team-mate as he ranks club's midfielders

Paul Scholes has ranked Manchester United's greatest midfielders, and he has not placed the club's iconic former captain Roy Keane in the No1 spot.

Scholes and Keane played alongside each other at Old Trafford for a decade as United dominated English football in the 1990s and early part of the 2000s.

They struck up a formidable partnership, with the team often dominating the middle of the park, but Scholes still doesn't believe the Irishman is the best midfielder United have ever had.

Taking on the challenge of ranking United's past and present midfielders, Scholes was asked to choose between Keane and Bryan Robson.

Scholes paused and exhaled deeply before responding: 'Bryan Robson. He's my hero, Bryan Robson'.

Scholes put Robson at the top of the tree when it comes to United midfielders, but he had earlier been asked to pass judgement on a number of other players.

He proved his loyalty to fellow Class of '92 team-mate Nicky Butt by picking the former England international over himself, World Cup winner Nobby Stiles, Michael Carrick, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Darren Fletcher.

But when asked to pick between Butt and current United star Kobbie Mainoo, Scholes immediately plumped for Mainoo.

Mainoo enjoyed a breakthrough season at Old Trafford last term and went on to play a key role for England during their run to the Euro 2024 final last month.

Yet it is still slightly surprising that Scholes opted for a player in the infancy of his career over Butt.

Scholes then chose Keane over Mainoo, before ranking his former skipper above Paul Ince and Juan Sebastian Veron, but he gave the final nod to Robson.