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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Bobby Vincent

Paul Scholes explains biggest Manchester United concern about facing Arsenal in Europa League final

Paul Scholes thinks Arsenal's experience in big games could hurt Manchester United if the sides meet in the Europa League final.

The Premier League duo are both through to the semi-finals of the European competition, but are on other sides of the draw.

United will take on Roma in the last four after comfortably beating Granada 4-0 on aggregate, whereas the Gunners will face Villarreal after cruising through 5-1 against Slavia Prague.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be desperate to get through to his first final as manager of the Reds at the fifth time of asking with just Roma standing in their way.

Mikel Arteta has managerial experience in a major final, though, with his Arsenal side beating Manchester City in the FA Cup last August.

This is something that Scholes thinks could play into the London side's hands should United meet them in the Europa League final.

“That would be great. Arsenal, playing against them, you’d fancy them to win that," the ex-Man United midfielder said on BT Sport.

"Any team left in this competition, they wouldn’t worry about it.

"The one thing Arsenal do have is the experience of winning a big game, they beat City in an FA Cup final with Arteta.

"They’ve not been great this year, but that would worry you slightly. I still think United will win it, though.”

United will be looking for their first major honour since Jose Mourinho was in charge, where the Manchester club lifted the Europa League trophy, with a victory in the final against Ajax in 2017.

If Solskjaer was able to guide United to a second triumph in the competition, then it would cap off a season of progression on the pitch for the club.

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