Former Manchester United stars Michael Owen and Paul Scholes have questioned Daniel James' place in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's starting XI.
Speaking after United's convincing Boxing Day win over Newcastle United, Owen and Scholes praised the impact of emerging talent Mason Greenwood, who scored a superb goal against the Magpies at Old Trafford.
James was left on the bench for the match against Steve Bruce's side but returned for their tight win over Burnley on Saturday evening.
The Wales star has arguably been United's best player this season but Owen believes the front three who started against the Toon - Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Greenwood - can "take them places".
To leave James out of the starting XI would be an eyebrow-raising move, considering his impact since his £18million move from Swansea City in the summer. But both Owen and Scholes believe that is the way forward for Solskjaer.
"I was impressed [by United], I really liked the front three," former Liverpool striker Owen told Premier League Productions.
“I think that that front three can take them places.
“They’ve got what you call a solid team in behind, the midfield is nothing to write home about until Paul Pogba comes on.
“The back four again is pretty solid but the front three I think can change games.
“They’ve got a lot of pace, a lot of goals in them as well and I think that’s what they’re going to rely on going forward.
“If Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s going to spend some money in the transfer window, I think it will probably be in bolstering that central midfield area.”
Scholes added that he sees Greenwood and James rotating for the rest of the season, and believes the Welshman looks "a bit tired".
“The front three are frightening, you would not like to play against that front three,” Scholes said.
“You’ve got Dan James [as well] who to be fair has looked a little bit tired.
“I think he’s done better than he expected in the first part of the season and now you’ve got Mason Greenwood coming into the team. So I think you’ll see them two rotating.
“Them front three, I think they can be special them front three. I think they can beat a lot of teams, they can score a lot of goals with them three.
“It’s just in behind that where ‘Is the quality there?’
"We know Pogba’s there, we know he’s been out for a lot of the season and when he is playing, when he’s fit, he’s very good, he’s got the quality, it’s just is there enough of that in behind that front three?”
James has featured in 28 games for club and country this term.
