Paul Scholes names Manchester United caretaker manager candidate for the rest of the season

Paul Scholes described current Manchester United assistant Steve McClaren as "the best coach I ever had" as the former United midfielder left the blame for the club's current struggles squarely at Erik ten Hag's door.

Scholes believes that McClaren has "had no impression on this team" as a coach but said the former Derby, Nottingham Forest and Newcastle manager should take the reins until the end of the season.

Joined by fellow ex-United player Michael Owen on punditry duty for United's 4-0 defeat to Crystal Palace, Scholes suggested McClaren as the ideal candidate to become United's caretaker manager, as both he and Owen called for Ten Hag to be sacked.

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"There is no way his fingerprints are anywhere near that team. No way. He is a brilliant, brilliant coach," said Scholes on McClaren. "And that team is not being coached at all."

The former United and England star then recalled his days playing under McClaren, who was Sir Alex Ferguson's No.2 at Old Trafford between 1999 and 2001.

He said: "Everyone thinks we were a great team that attacked everyone. But sometimes we played against better teams and Steve McClaren put [training] sessions on to make sure you stopped other teams, getting your distances right, the angles right, especially in centre midfield and all across midfield.

"He's got no impression on that team. The manager must not be letting him touch that team."

Owen had previously launched into a long rant about why Ten Hag must be sacked.

The former Liverpool striker said: "I've said it for a long time. I've sat here for quite a while and I've been saying that Ten Hag is not the right man for this job. I've said it for ages and ages he simply cannot manage the team next season. I almost wonder now... they've got a cup final and they've got a few important games that could mean European football next year or not. At some point you've got to make a decision.

"They're going to get absolutely hammered by Manchester City, they're going to get annihilated. In fact, Arsenal will smash them to bits at Old Trafford, Newcastle will probably beat them and I wouldn't even fancy them going to Brighton either. They might not get anything out of the rest of the season if they're playing like that."