Scholes condemns Manchester United’s post-match lap of honour

Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes called the players’ post-match lap around Old Trafford embarrassing, after the team drew 4-4 with Aston Villa on November 8. He said the players should stop making the circuit after every match, and fellow former United midfielder Nicky Butt also objected to celebrating with a lap after a draw.

United came back from deficits of 2-0 and 4-2 to earn a point. The team entered the international break in the relegation zone, amid uncertainty over manager Michael Carrick’s future. The club was also described as having made its worst start to a Premier League season, conceding 30 goals — more than any other team in Europe’s top five leagues.

Gary Neville said the players’ repeated walks around the pitch after poor results were painful to watch. He praised their persistence but said the defensive errors against Villa were shocking, and suggested the players could be emotionally hurt by hearing supporters’ blunt reactions.

Neville also criticized United’s failure to strengthen its defence during the summer transfer window. He said the back four that finished the Villa match — Patrick Dorgu, Ayden Heaven, Leny Yoro and Noussair Mazraoui — was not strong enough to keep the team out of relegation trouble.

He argued the club should have brought forward its transfer budget to sign defenders, saying United needed reinforcements and that its existing defenders were making repeated mistakes.