Scholes’ creative force key factor in United’s bid to retain title

GARY NEVILLE has pinpointed the presence of Paul Scholes as the key factor in Manchester United’s assault on their ninth Premiership title.

With David Beckham and Juan Sebastian Veron leaving and both Kleberson and Cristiano Ronaldo still finding their feet after moving to Old Trafford in the summer, Scholes is the major creative force in the United squad.

In the knowledge that Ruud van Nistelrooy's predatory instincts will ensure a high percentage of chances that come his way will find the net, United know their support and supply to the £18.5m Dutchman will be crucial.

On the evidence of his performance against Manchester City on Saturday, it is no coincidence that Scholes has been absent from the United starting line-up on five of the six occasions they have failed to win.

Plagued by groin and hernia problems, the England star has been limited to just 10 starts, with the derby outing his first since the October 18 win over Leeds. It took just seven minutes for Scholes to stamp his authority on the game, rising unchallenged to nod Neville's cross home.

He played a major role in United's second as well before wrapping up victory in the second-half with another header, this time from Kleberson's cross.

The win saw Alex Ferguson's men briefly rise to the Premiership summit, staying there for 24 hours until Arsenal's win over Blackburn allowed the Gunners to leapfrog back into top spot.

However, just a fortnight after their potentially devastating loss at Chelsea, United are back in the championship hunt and with Scholes now fully fit, Neville believes they have a major chance of retaining their crown.

"I wouldn't swop Paul Scholes for anybody," he said.

"He is one of the most complete footballers I have ever played with. He can run, tackle or shoot and both his long and short passing are absolutely brilliant.

"We have many different types of player at Manchester United but some are more important than others. And while it is a squad game now, if you take away a world class player like him, you are bound to miss them. He is unique not just at our club but in the whole game. Without him we find it difficult to penetrate teams.

"We saw that at Chelsea, where we had a lot of great possession in the second half. We couldn't have played any better but we lacked the cutting edge in the final third. He is someone who could have opened them up."

Meanwhile, Rio Ferdinand will later this week finally face the FA probe into his failure to take a drugs test in September.

Ferdinand is facing a maximum two-year ban unless he can prove his innocence and a host of key witnesses, including England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson, are lined up to appear at the two-day hearing at Bolton's Reebok Stadium beginning on Thursday.

Contrary to reports, United have insisted there is no deal in place with the FA where they will not appeal if Ferdinand is handed an expected three-month ban.

Instead, the Old Trafford outfit will offer a robust defence of their record £29.3million signing, who they believe to be guilty of nothing more sinister than absent-mindedness.