Manchester United’s experienced midfielder Paul Scholes is hoping that he gets a start in the FA Cup fifth round showdown against Arsenal at the weekend as there are vast options available for Sir Alex Ferguson to choose.

The 33-year-old former England international has returned to action only recently after spending three months on the sidelines with a knee operation. His first start since return however came in the shock defeat to city rivals, Manchester City at Old Trafford on Sunday.

However, Scholes is looking ahead to the rest of the season as the Red Devils find themselves five points behind Premiership leaders Arsenal.

"There are so many options now of people who can play in there - there’s Michael, Owen, Anderson, Fletcher, O’Shea and Giggsy plays in there as well,” he said on the club’s official website.

"I think that has to be good for your game. You go into matches knowing that if you don’t play well, there’s always somebody waiting to take your place. We all have to keep our performance level up to get picked for the next game."

The formidable midfield assembly meant Ferguson did not feel the absence of Scholes much and the player himself agrees, saying: "If we do lose one or two players, it doesn’t make any difference.

“It's hard to say (whether this is our best midfield). I think we’ve always had competition, like when Nicky (Butt), Roy (Keane) and (Juan Sebastian) Veron were all here. They were all top midfielders and it was hard to get into the team. I think it’s the same now.

"Any two from six could play and you’d still have the same outcome."