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Scholes return shows Utd weakness - Vieira

Patrick Vieira and Roberto Mancini now work together off the field © Getty Images

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Patrick Vieira feels Manchester United have shown weakness by luring Paul Scholes out of retirement.

Vieira is the director of football development at Manchester City and with the teams in a two-way fight for the title, the mind games have been flying around in recent weeks.

United recently knocked City off the top of the table for the first time since October, with their resurgence in the past couple of months coinciding with Scholes' return.

Scholes called time on his career last summer, but admitted he missed the buzz of playing and was persuaded to come out of retirement. His form his been impressive and United have thrived with the former England international in the fold, but Vieira feels it shows the Red Devils do not have enough quality coming through to cope.

"Paul Scholes is a player that I really love and admire, one of the best English players of the last few years, and seeing him come back is good for him and for United," Vieira told the Daily Telegraph.

"But for him to come back just shows a little bit of weakness in United, because they had to bring a player back who was 37."

City boss Roberto Mancini made the defiant claim that his side will win the title. Vieira is more reserved but feels they lift the Premier League crown even if they do not beat Chelsea on Wednesday.

He said: "Yes, United have a four point lead at the moment and, of course, we have to win against Chelsea.

"But even if we don't win, it won't be the end of the world. It is not going to be the end of our chance to win the title.

"So many things can still happen and ten games is a lot. It is still a long way from the end."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.