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29 March 2024

Man Utd’s new Scholes… ready for more goals

Crewe starlet Nick Powell helped his club reach League ONE. (GETTY)

Published

Nick Powell is not showing the strain of early expectations from Sir Alex Ferguson and the Old Trafford faithful of his having to fill in the shoes of Paul Scholes.

Answering questions on the club's official Facebook page recently he said, “Just the intensity of things here when it comes to training and matches. That's no disrespect to Crewe because it's where I grew up and the people there and the club helped me get to where I am today.

“But as I said before, things are on another level at United and I know I need to be on my game all the time.”

And that means goals. Especially if it’s Scholes.

Powell added: “I hope so. I didn't know how much I was going to be involved this season but now I've got a taste of the goals, I'm hoping I can get a lot more game-time and score a lot more goals. I've got a target in my head but I'm keeping it to myself for the moment!

United have been so desperate to find Paul Scholes’ replacement that every talented hopeful that comes along is saddled with the expectation of filling in a man who played 700 games for United, won every club accolade possible, and is still playing.

Scholes marked his 700th appearance with a goal, just as he did his 100th, 200th, 300th, 400th, and 500th.

The 18-year old Powell, picked up from Crewe for £6million, needs to stay on the Scholes course and avoid the Darron Gibson trap

It did not help Powell’s case that he scored a scorcher on debut, the exact kind of goal that Paul Scholes is famous for – a 20-yard scorcher into the corner.

Gibson came on and scored a scorcher, one even more impressive than Powell’s strike. Against Bayern Munich no less.

And then scored several more

You need more than a great striking foot to cut it as Old Trafford’s next Paul Scholes.

That is where Gibson fell short. Now he is at Everton.

It’s Powell’s turn now.

About the biggest influences on his career so far, Powell says, “I'd have to say the youth-team coaches at Crewe, James Collins and Neil Critchley, who I grew up with; Dario Gradi, who obviously has such a legacy at the club, and now, and hopefully for the future, Sir Alex Ferguson and the older pros like Scholesy and Giggsy.”

As for his new Crew(e) at Old Trafford, Powell adds: “I mix with all the lads. I get on well with Sam Johnstone, Danny [Welbeck], Tom [Cleverley]... all the young English lads, but I speak to everyone.

“I'm also good friends with a lot of the guys in the Under-19s through England, like Jack Barmby, Luke Hendrie and Ryan Tunnicliffe. Everyone gets on with everyone though because there's such a great spirit here.”

NICK OF TIME FOR MAN UTD

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