Paul Scholes has questioned Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag's decision to substitute Jadon Sancho with Fred during yesterday's 1-1 draw with Chelsea, describing the call as 'strange'.
Ten Hag's side controlled the early stages of the clash at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, but failed to take advantage, with both Marcus Rashford and Antony spurning first half chances for the Red Devils.
Their early dominance was counted by a 35th substitution from Graham Potter who replaced Marc Cucurella with Mateo Kovacic, and it helped Chelsea get back in the game.
The tactical battle between the two coaches continued into the second half, when Tan Hag then hooked Jadon Sancho and brought on Fred. However, former United ace Scholes feels the change had a negative effect on the team, notably restricting Bruno Fernandes' role in the game.
Talking on Premier League Productions Scholes said: ‘Today they were good for half a game they were really good and probably deserved to win the game,’ ‘You think of Chelsea being at home, did they do enough to win the game I really don’t think they did.
‘The subs were a little bit strange today. I thought Fred coming on when he did for Sancho didn’t really help the game. I thought Fernandes lost a bit of control of the game he had to come out to the left-hand side and wasn’t in the game as much.’
Chelsea eventually took the lead late in the second half through a Jorginho penalty, but United rescued a point thanks to a Casemiro header in stoppage time.
However, Scholes believes his former team must learn how to beat their top six rivals away from home, if Ten Hag wants to compete at the top of the Premier League.
Adding: ‘I think there’s progress going to a big team and getting a point is progress. You’d like to win those games still, of course you would but really looking back on the game they should have won it.
‘There will be bigger tests ahead, going to Anfield going to Arsenal, going to these better teams. It’s now a big test for them to take that next level.
‘I think they’ve sorted out problems at home those first two games were disastrous as we know, but they’ve sorted the problems out at home, they look dominant it’s that away form which I think that manager wants them to be.’
The draw leaves United a point behind the Blues in the Premier League, with Chelsea still occupying the fourth Champions League spot in the table.