Source: Daily_Mail
Paul Scholes hits out at Manchester City
It could be his last Manchester derby and Paul Scholes has no intention of walking off the Wembley pitch a loser on Saturday. [LNB]The 36-year-old midfielder knows it's unlikely Sir Alex Ferguson's side can eclipse the Blue Moon for ever, but he will do his utmost to ensure City do not take a step closer to that long-awaited trophy at Manchester United's expense. [LNB] Making his point: Scholes believes Arsenal and Chelsea are bigger rivals for United than neighbours City [LNB]Not this time. Because as long as City remain empty-handed, Scholes insists they are not a serious threat.[LNB] In a withering assessment of his opponents, Scholes said: 'When they're fourth or fifth, or wherever they are in the League, I don't think they can be classed as a main rival.[LNB] 'Our main rivals are obviously Arsenal and Chelsea. I think City are just a rival because of where they are - Liverpool are the same.[LNB] 'Are they more of a threat? Probably, because of the money that they've spent on players. They've gone up a level and it's probably made us concentrate a little bit more than we normally would. [LNB]'Because they haven't been as big a club as us, it's the underdog thing in that there's never been much pressure on them going into derby games. It was a no-win game for us. [LNB] They're nothing without Carlos: Scholes claims City will struggle without Tevez on Saturday [LNB]'We were going into derbies expecting them to win them. It didn't always pan out that way, but since they've come into the money, it does give you a little bit more of an edge.[LNB] 'You hate losing against anybody, but City? It's bad. Painful. I remember losing 3-1 at Maine Road and it was horrible. [LNB]'We probably won't hear the last of it if we lose, especially if they go on to win the Cup. It's an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley. It's massive. 'It's the biggest game we've had against City for a while. Whoever loses will be devastated.' [LNB]Since City came under Abu Dhabi rule, United have won six and drawn one of eight derbies. Their only defeat came in the first leg of the Carling Cup semi-final. [LNB]Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney broke City's hearts with injury-time winners last season and Scholes did it again with his seventh career goal against the neighbours. Only Eric Cantona and Bobby Charlton have scored more in the post-war era.[LNB] 'It was perfect,' recalls Scholes. 'It was a major highlight of my career, one of the best things I've ever done. To score in a Manchester derby is brilliant anyway, but to score a winning goal in the third minute of injury-time was special.[LNB] Derby delight: Scholes lauded last season's late strike against Man City as one of the highlights of his career [LNB] [LNB] 'They'll obviously be p****d off that they've only managed to beat us once, and that was a first leg. 'We've nicked the games in the last minutes. Wayne also did it with his unbelievable goal in the League this season and City were definitely unlucky that day. [LNB]'Maybe that's the difference. We have a belief that we can beat anybody. I'm not sure City have that.' [LNB]City spent nearly ?130million last summer, and ?27m on Edin Dzeko in January, whereas traditional big-spenders United paid out little more than ?20m for Javier Hernandez, Chris Smalling and Bebe. [LNB]Yet Scholes believes Ferguson's squad will miss the suspended Rooney less than their opponents will miss their captain and top scorer Carlos Tevez.[LNB] 'City's spending isn't our problem,' he said. 'That's all down to the manager. He's not going to go buying people for ?30-40m because they could be inflated prices brought on by City's spending. [LNB]'Smalling was ?10m and he has been a revelation along with Hernandez. They cost relative peanuts. [LNB]'Without Wayne, we can bring in our top scorer, Dimitar Berbatov. What City can do, I'm not so sure. Tevez is definitely their talisman.'[LNB] Scholes will be 37 in November and has not decided whether he will sign a one-year deal or retire. Doubts over his participation in United's US tour in July and plans for a summer testimonial hint at the latter for a player who has struggled with not being a regular starter.[LNB] 'It's very difficult to accept but the time comes when you know you can't,' he said. 'I've got these games to think about now and I'll decide from there. But when I finish here, that will be it.'[LNB] Stick together and we shall become a major force, insists under-fire City boss Mancini United don't scare us, insists City stopper Hart ahead of Wembley tieScholes: Rooney's been made a scapegoat for dismal 2010 World CupManchester United FC news, features and opinion Manchester City FC news, features and opinion [LNB] Explore more:People: Alex Ferguson, Paul Scholes, Michael Owen, Carlos Tevez, Dimitar Berbatov, Wayne Rooney, Bebe Places: Liverpool, Manchester
