Paul Scholes makes Man Utd title claim after Arsenal thump Man City

Paul Scholes won 11 Premier League titles at Man Utd (Picture: Getty)

Paul Scholes has been encouraged by Manchester United ’s progress under Michael Carrick but believes it is still too early for his former club to challenge Arsenal for the Premier League title.

United looked set to miss out on Champions League qualification and perhaps even European football altogether last season until Carrick replaced Ruben Amorim in the Old Trafford hot-seat.

Carrick guided the Red Devils to a third-place finish after taking over from Amorim in January, with United finishing just seven points behind local rivals Manchester City.

Manchester United’s form in the second-half of the campaign has led to calls that Carrick could mount a genuine bid for the Premier League title in his first full season in charge .

But Scholes, who won 11 league titles during his long and successful career at Old Trafford, believes United are still ‘a little bit away’ from defending champions Arsenal.

Arsenal won their first Premier League title since 2004 last season while also reaching the Champions League final, which they lost to PSG on penalties.

The Gunners are enjoying another productive transfer window and thumped Enzo Maresca’s Man City 3-0 in the Community Shield on Sunday .

Man Utd have impressed under Michael Carrick (Picture: Getty)

Asked about Manchester United’s progress over the last six months, Scholes said on The Overlap : ‘I think it comes from Michael Carrick’s character. He’s just a calm and relaxed character, he won’t ever get too high or too low.

‘Where you have to judge United’s transfer buisness is what do you expect from them? Are you expecting them to challenge for the Premier League? I still think that’s a little bit away with the business that’s been done.

‘I think on the recruitment point of view, they seem to be doing it in different sections. This time last year they seemed to sort out the forward line which is now much better and much more dangerous.

Arsenal stormed to the Community Shield (Picture: Getty)

‘They could probably still do with another centre forward to help [Benjamin] Sesko out a bit. He’s still young and he did get better last season, there’s no doubt about that.

‘It feels like the priority this summer has been the middle of the pitch and that area was a problem last season.

‘I still think it’s a problem, not just from centre midfield but centre half as well because every team that had joy against us, it felt like they were coming straight down the middle because of the lack of pace and mobility in there.

Man Utd summer signing Andrey Santos (Picture: Getty)

‘I’ve hardly seen [Andrey] Santos play so you need to give the lad a chance but I still think there might need something else in there.

‘[Youri] Tielemans is a brilliant footballer and can control the game but again athleticism isn’t his strength. I still think there’s a problem down the middle, I still think they need centre-halves.

‘I don’t think the current ones are of the quality to try and win the Premier League and that‘s where I judge Man United.

Arsenal won the title last season ahead of Man City (Picture: Getty)

‘In that position you need players who are reliable every single week but United’s are always picking up injuries.

‘We’ve got [Harry] Maguire who’s starting to pick up niggles, Lisandro Martinez just can’t stay fit, Leny Yoro has struggled a bit over the last two years and it looks like the level if a little bit above him, although he’s still young and he might come on with Ayden Heaven.

‘So I still think a big area of the pitch is that spine to make the side more solid and give them more legs and have more reliability at centre half.

‘The thing Michael Carrick is going to have to deal with now as well is midweek football. He had an unbelievable run last year but everything was in his favour if you know what I mean.

‘Now all of a sudden he’s got these extra games which will have an impact on the squad.’

Manchester United kick-start their 2026-27 Premier League campaign against newly-promoted Hull City at the weekend.

Arsenal, meanwhile, begin their Premier League title defence on Friday night against another former Championship side, Coventry City.