Manchester United legend Paul Scholes thinks that Liverpool’s Thiago Alcantara, whom the Reds bought for a large sum from Bayern Munich this season, doesn’t fit into Liverpool’s playing style.
Many pundits are of the opinion that Thiago has slowed Liverpool down in he final third as he plays on the right side of their three-pronged midfield. Scholes thinks he is more suited to a central midfield role.
“The way Liverpool play with the three in midfield, I don’t think he has great legs about him, so that central role would suit him down to the ground,” Scholes told Premier League Productions.
“Once you are in a wider position in the three, it’s very difficult to get around the pitch because he’s not that type of player.
“He just needs to be sat in the middle. Controlling things, bringing players into play and that’s what he’s good at – I just wonder if this way of playing that Liverpool play is suited to his style of football,” Scholes added.
The former Manchester United midfielder also went on to say that Thiago doesn’t seem like a player who firs into Jurgen Klopp’s style of playing. According to him, the Spain international would rather be a good asset for Manchester United.
“He doesn’t seem a Jurgen Klopp type player, does he? You think of the midfield players he has got and the forward players. Everything is 100 miles per hour,” Scholes continued.
“I thought he would have been more suited to a Manchester United team. In a two in midfield with a holding player, really good strong defensive player, where he can sit and control games.
“Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool, I don’t see them controlling games. I see them going for the throat in teams. He hasn’t got that energy to really overpower midfield players,” he added.
Liverpool already seem out of the Premier League title race this season. The Reds are currently sitting at the sixth spot in the table with 43 points, which is just two points behind fourth-placed West Ham United but 19 points behind league leaders Manchester City.