“There is no doubt that my former manager Sir Alex exerted an influence over some referees. He was the master of dropping a comment into his Friday press conference - for instance, how long it had been since we had been given a penalty, or the treatment meted out to a player like Cristiano Ronaldo.”

English former footballer, pundit, and coach

Paul Scholes is an English former professional footballer, later a pundit and coach. He was born in 1974 and spent his entire senior playing career with Manchester United, where he became closely associated with the club’s success from 1993 to 2013. He won 25 trophies with Manchester United, including 11 Premier League titles, three FA Cups, and two UEFA Champions League titles. He was known for his technical ability, accurate passing, sharp movement, long-range shooting, and an unusual capacity to score goals from midfield.