In brief
For Manchester United supporters, Paul Scholes’ nuanced response to Steven Gerrard’s claim that he had never won a Premier League title is a timeless moment.
Under Sir Alex Ferguson, Scholes led Manchester United to 11 Premier League championships.
Gerrard is without a doubt one of the best players in Premier League history, even though he did not earn a winners’ medal.
Among the best midfielders of the Premier League era are without a doubt Paul Scholes and Steven Gerrard. The two are regarded by many as some of the best midfielders in football history.
They were various kinds of midfielders, the former England teammates. Gerrard was the closest thing we’ll likely see to a Roy of the Rovers persona, while Scholes would set the pace of games.
But when it comes to cutlery, Scholes clearly has the advantage. Over the course of his storied career, the Manchester United legend earned an incredible 11 Premier League titles. No one has won more than Ryan Giggs (13) since.
During his lengthy tenure with his boyhood club, Liverpool, Gerrard was never able to win the Premier League trophy. In spite of this, the all-action talisman played a key role in both the 2005 Champions League and 2006 FA Cup finals, leading the Reds to victory.
Scholes was substituted before extra time in the 2008 final against Chelsea and missed the 1999 final against Bayern Munich due to suspension, despite winning the Champions League twice. He also had three FA Cup victories.
Despite never winning a winner’s medal, Gerrard is one of the very few players—possibly the only one—who may still be included in the all-time Premier League XI. He was that unique.
Video: Scholes’ Reaction to Gerrard Saying He Never Won League
The clip regularly goes viral on social media
However, like many Manchester United supporters, Scholes couldn’t help but snicker when Gerrard said on BT Sport (now TNT Sports) in 2017 that he had never won the league.
“For someone who hasn’t won the league,” Gerrard stated, “I see it more as clever management and tactically spot on if you go on to win it.” As Gerrard was speaking, viewers couldn’t help but notice Scholes’ sly smile. View the video below:
Scholes doing his best not to laugh at Gerrard's lack of league titles, here. pic.twitter.com/AFyT2vp1NL
— Proper Magazine (@ProperMag) October 18, 2017
What Fans Have Said About The Clip
‘Subtle but evil…’
On social media, the viral video continues to appear frequently. For United supporters, this clip is considered an all-time favourite.
One fan wrote, “Will never get old,” on X (previously Twitter). The serenity. The irresponsibility of that grin. Another person said, “Subtle but evil.”
“I can watch this a million times,” remarked another devotee. So precious. And so forth. You saw the image
Steven Gerrard Was an Elite Player
The Scholes vs Gerrard debate continues to rumble on
However, it’s crucial to reiterate that Gerrard was a brilliant player who gave Liverpool fans experiences they would always treasure. It is entirely up to the individual to decide which of the two midfielders was superior, although both were exceptional football players in their own right.
What supporters of Manchester United and Liverpool would give to have Scholes and Gerrard at the top of their current teams. Just think of how much they would both fetch in the current market. We are discussing far over £100 million for both of these legendary midfield players.
Scholes’ candid assessment of the debate acknowledged that he was unable to accomplish what Gerrard accomplished at Liverpool.
In 2023, Scholes offered a candid and modest analysis of the long-running argument, acknowledging that he was unable to duplicate Gerrard’s 1998–2015 performance at Anfield. “He’s an athlete,” he said of Gerrard. He’s more of a match-winner, in my opinion. He was playing for a team, though, where he most likely had to be. I was more of a team player. I believe he was more independent. He did things at Liverpool that I couldn’t do.
I’m not sure if he could have done it at United. However, I fail to see why not. However, I couldn’t have accomplished what he achieved in Liverpool.
Similar sentiments were recently spoken by Wayne Rooney, who played with both midfielders during his own storied career. “I think Stevie could have come to United and been a top, top player and almost do what Scholes could do,” he said to Gary Neville on The Overlap. However, I don’t believe Scholesy could go to Liverpool and perform what Stevie did.
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