Magic of Scholes

MU 2 QPR 0: Paul Scholes’s return to the United squad in January remains one of the season’s defining moments. United have won all but one of the league games he has played and yesterday he was by far the game’s stand-out performer.

It crowned another majestic performance and eased the nerves around Old Trafford just when United’s failure to build on their one-goal lead against 10 men was beginning to cause concern.‘It was a typical Paul Scholes goal,’ said Ferguson. ‘You see the control he has of the game and our tempo. He’s a great, great player.’ Afterwards, the statistics flowed even though the champagne didn’t.

It was Scholes’s 153rd goal for United in 692 appearances, coming almost 18 years after he last scored against QPR. One stat even pointed out that his last four Premier League goals outside the penalty box had come against London clubs.