"He will score goals in this team" - Paul Scholes names Manchester United star who should start over Cristiano Ronaldo and Edinson Cavani

Paul Scholes has backed Mason Greenwood to start ahead of Edinson Cavani and Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United.

The academy graduate broke into the first team in the 2019-20 season and has since been brilliant for the Red Devils. The 20-year-old has scored 34 goals and provided 12 assists in 126 appearances in all competitions in United colors.

Scholes, who wants Manchester United to start Greenwood over veterans like Cavani and Ronaldo, told Webby and O’Neill YouTube channel:

“Mason Greenwood is a brilliant player – great potential. The manager keeps taking him off, he’s almost become a little bit of a scapegoat, a little bit of an easy target because he’s a young player."

Scholes believes it is not a good sign for the Red Devils to have old strikers getting so much game time at Old Trafford. The Manchester United midfielder added:

“He should be playing up front for this team. As good as [Cristiano] Ronaldo and [Edinson] Cavani are, and have been throughout their careers, for Manchester United’s centre forwards to be 37 and 34 just tells us where the club is at."

Scholes further advocated for Greenwood, adding:

“Greenwood has to be playing now – and in the future. He is a highly-talented lad and I’m frustrated when I watch him because you know he’s going to be the first man off every single time. He’s been shoved out in those wide areas – the lad is an out-and-out centre forward. He will score goals in this team – no doubt about that.”

Ralf Rangnick explains why he substituted Manchester United forward Greenwood against Wolverhampton Wanderers

Scholes' comments came after Manchester United's 1-0 defeat against Wolverhampton Wanderers on January 3 in the Premier League.

Ralf Rangnick decided to substitute the young Englishman in the second half, with the scoreline reading 0-0. United went on to lose the match courtesy of a late goal from Wolves midfielder Joao Moutinho.

Rangnick explained his decision to substitute Greenwood by saying:

“It was 0-0 and we were having the better moments in that part of the game to so we decided to bring on Bruno. He had the big chance to put his 1-0 ahead. Mason was good but I had to take somebody off and we didn’t want to take one of our sixes off. So the question was should I take off Edi or Mason and I decided to take off Mason.”

Greenwood has scored five goals and set up two more in 21 appearances in all competitions this season.