Like every great pundit, Paul Scholes always speaks openly and honestly - and is not afraid of telling the truth, even if it inadvertently upsets people.The retired midfielder, who barely said a word to the media during his 20-year professional career, is at his most entertaining when talking about his former club Manchester United.And ahead of Tuesday night’s Champions League clash between United and Valencia at Old Trafford, Scholes went in hard on the under-fire Jose Mourinho.“I am sat here actually surprised he survived after Saturday, the performance was that bad,” Scholes said of the 3-1 defeat at the hands of West Ham at the London Stadium.“He’s constantly having a go at players. He’s having a go at those above him because he's not getting what he wants. I think his mouth is probably out of control and I think he's embarrassing the club.”Very strong words there from Scholes, whose fellow ‘Class of ’92’ members - David Beckham, Gary Neville, Nicky Butt and Ryan Giggs - were picked up by TV cameras inside Old Trafford looking equally as unimpressed by Mourinho’s team against Valencia.

The Red Devils played out a turgid 0-0 draw against the Spanish side and Scholes, who was working for BT Sport, admitted after the full-time whistle: “We sit in the studio and end up watching other screens.”

Mourinho responds to Scholes's comments

Journalists, of course, wanted a reaction from Mourinho to Scholes’s pre-match comments and they let the Portuguese coach know what had been said after the game.

He issued a dismissive response to Scholes, who has been critical of the current Man Utd boss on several occasions over the past two years.

“Honestly, I'm not interested,” Mourinho was quoted as saying by Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News.

“Freedom of speech, free country, you can say what you want.”

In fairness to Mourinho, that was probably the best way of handling the issue.

Had he said anything else - either agreeing or disagreeing with Scholes’s comments - it wouldn’t have looked great. He was in a bit of a no-win situation.

Maybe he’s learned from the past. Back in January, Mourinho caused a stir by taking on Scholes, saying all the United legend does “is to criticise”.

He also suggested Scholes was jealous of Paul Pogba on that occasion because the Frenchman earns more money than he did during his career.

It all became quite unsavoury, to be perfectly honest.

At least Mourinho has avoided creating similar negative headlines this time around.