Scholes has been sidelined since the Champions League win over Aalborg in September after undergoing a knee operation.
Sir Alex Ferguson revealed the 33-year-old has been progressing well with his recovery and could be available to face the Danes again on December 10 ahead of a likely trip to Japan for the World Club Cup.
And for Fletcher, Scholes' return cannot come too soon.
Despite his advancing years, the former England star remains an integral part of the Red Devils squad and if United are to close the gap on current Premier League pace-setters, Fletcher knows Scholes will need to make a major contribution.
"Paul is still the best midfielder in Europe - if not the world," said the Scotland star.
"Nobody can control a game like he can. When he comes back from injury, he will be a huge asset for United and everyone at the club is looking forward to that."
Fletcher knows Scholes represents a major threat to his first-team spot.
The 23-year-old has made 14 appearances this term, the latest coming in Saturday's five-goal hammering of Stoke in which he picked up a minor knee injury that has ruled him out of Scotland's high-profile friendly with Argentina at Hampden Park on Wednesday.
It is a vast improvement for Fletcher, who struggled to make an impact last term, leading to fears he would leave Old Trafford in a search for regular action.
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Instead, he signed a new four-year contract after gaining assurances from Ferguson that he remained a major part of his plans.
"Manchester United are a great club and I don't want to go anywhere else," said Fletcher, who was heavily linked with former Scotland boss Alex McLeish and a move to Birmingham.
"I just go into every game and do my best in the hope it is enough to keep me in the team."
After scoring just nine times in his first 172 appearances, Fletcher has hit a rich vein of form during the current campaign.
Before Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov started firing, he was top of the United scoring charts after getting goals against Newcastle and Portsmouth in August.
He added another in the draw at Everton the following month and, having been given licence to attack even more this term, is confident of adding to his tally.
"It's great to add goals to my game," said the Dalkeith-born star.
"I would love to sneak a few more as well but the most important thing is actually getting into the box and making the chances.
"The manager has been very encouraging and I have a lot more confidence to try my luck.
"In the past, I may have been a little too worried about holding my position and watching for counter-attacks.
"But now I am more selfish and a bit more adventurous."
Ferguson will hope Fletcher is not sidelined for too long given Owen Hargreaves has just been ruled out for the season and Scholes is still a couple of weeks away from his eagerly-anticipated return.
United have defensive problems as well, with Gary Neville joining Wes Brown on the sidelines after sustaining a groin injury in training last week that will keep him out for a fortnight.
However, it is a measure of the strength Ferguson has at his disposal that John O'Shea was able to step in and help United keep a clean sheet, with promising youngster Rafael not even called upon.
O'Shea might well keep his place at in-form Aston Villa on Saturday, although Ferguson will await the arrivals of Cristiano Ronaldo, Nani and Anderson with bated breath given all three must get back from Brasilia from a game that does not start until midnight on Wednesday.
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I have to say the complete lack of Super Fletch merchandise available at the megastore is nothing short of an outrage!
The good news is I've written a (very) stern letter to Safe Hands Gill inviting him to 'sort it out'.
Ps Unlike Ronaldo, you won't catch Fletch moisturising himself twice a day. He's a man's man. As Stoke found out on Saturday.
Pps Go Fletch!
If Fletch carries on his development (and why shouldn't he?), his long term future at the club is guaranteed so he has no need to be worried. As for Scholesy, well I'd have to agree that he is still the master.
This from Darren Fletcher..
"Paul is still the best midfielder in Europe - if not the world," said the Scotland star. And..
"Nobody can control a game like he can." Most Prem
managers would agree too.
Scholes is a master class of
midfield ingenuity and possession football. It's his unselfish play that allows our flair players, the
dribbly scoring ones, to do
thier thing. I for one cannot wait to see Paul back
on the pitch.
Up the Reds,
I have to hold my hands up and admit that i was one of the many thousands at Old Trafford every week who groaned when we saw our Scottish midfielder playing!
to me i considered him as another Kieran Richardson (but much less vain & arrogant), another Luke Chadwick another Ben Thornley or Terry Cooke!! I could not understand why he was getting so much game time... I WAS WRONG!!!!
Darren you have been our best player this season and you have earned the right to be seen as more than a squad player these days, you have been superb!!!
As for our number 18...GENUIS!!! always has been and he is a real LEGEND!!!
i am so happy with his development. I think he is turning out to be our one of the most important player now. Long may it continue.
A central three of Scholes, Carrick & The Fletch all on song would be pretty awesome.
It would mean 4-3-3 and only one genuine winger but our wing backs raid so regularly that I think we could cover that. I could live with that for the '6 pointers' and the harder cup games?
Fletchers' not on his own I cannot wait for Paul Scholes to come back.
Fletcher has been top class this season he should be 1st name on the team sheet no matter who is fit.Would be nice to hear from all the people who have slagged him off.
Robbo:
Are you really questioning the existence of that rarest of all legenday myths....the Scottish metro-sexual? Next you'll be saying you don't believe in Bigfoot or Nessie.
Astonishing. I've supported Fletcher ever since he broke into the first team squad some six years ago, and I always believed he had great potential, defending him over and over again. To be honest though I thought his United career might be over this summer, but I am delighted he has finally gotten a decent run in the team and that he is finally unlocking that amazing potential.
But that's not why I'm astonished. What really surprises me is that he has the support of the majority of the fans, finally. I never thought I'd see the day!
A midfield combination of fletcher & scholes seems to be an interesting paring in the centre of midfield as fletch has played better than carrick so far this season.
BrewDevil, Clemson,USA
If you're talking about the
Washington State Big Foot,
we saw him last summer outside of Seattle, you wouldn't believe it, he wears
a United treble shirt!
Up the Reds,
I have top agree on the 4-3-3 comment. With Evra and Raphael we have real width. Fletch and Carrick give the defence a lot of cover and what can you say about Berbie, Roo and Ron up front.Scholes and ANDERSON WILL ROTATE but Anderson is the future once someone shows him how to shoot. Man he's awful.
Fletcher thinks " Scholes the best midfield player in the world" Ronaldo the best player in the world, United the best team in the world, and Ferguson the best manager in the world. Where I wonder will it all end? Perhaps the Glazier's the best pick-pockets in the world.
I totally agree with Darren Fletcher, Scholes is the best midfield player the world. I thought his performance on saturday was tremendous.
Took Fletcher a while, but he has finally stood up to the challenge of donning the ManUtd jersey and made it his own.
For a while, he was too apprehensive, playing the safe ball, lacking the fight. This season, he has indeed been one of the key players. Stamping his authority in the middle of the park. In all honesty, that is a tough position to break into with all the talent that we have. He has done well!
Fletch could do with a haircut... maybe a Keano-esque shave?
"We're in the grip of recession and Ronaldo just wants more" This from the Daily Mail, outrageous thing to say. What recession?
I have to say Fletcher has only just now got a run in central midfield - too often he was paired with woe Shea when played there. When paired with Scholes he always played well for the last three seasons. He has obviously moved up a gear in the last couple of seasons as I think he has realised he will only ever make it at United if he takes ownership of the midfield a la Keane. He does not have the on the ball skill of Ronaldo or Scholes to dip in and out.
On Richardson I do agree that we let him go a little too early despite his unpopularity amongst many fans. A natural left footer who can strike the ball outstandingly well, decent on the ball with pace and strength. Nani seems a very similar player but he has a much better goal celebration;-) Maybe he brought him over to keep Ronaldo happy not to mention Queiroz.
In the end I think it came down to the difference in attitude.
It's amazing how inspirational the opportunity to sign for Everton can be! Fletch has always had potential.His biggest problem has been a lack of self belief.He certainly is in good form.
george, I don't think he ever lacked self belief.
One of his 'problems' was that he was one of the few players SAF would trust, in previous seasons, to do a specific tactical job. If he was asked to play in a certain position or perform a specific role Fletcher had the intelligence and the discipline to carry it out. As a result he got given some roles that didn't allow him to shine but did a turn for the team. John O'Shea is similar (but a lot less talented) but he will do as he's told and that's why SAF likes him.
Fletcher hadn't really had a good run in the position that he's best suited to until last season and even then two serious injuries intervened. This season he's had his chance and he's able to show what he's got. I think he'll improve even further when Scholes returns if United play 4-3-3. Scholes, Carrick and Fletcher with three forwards ahead and two marauding fullbacks is almost unstoppable.
We all want Paul back but to be fair Fletch might not be the one automatically to make way. Against better teams Fletch brings more than eg Carrick who can be a bit wimpy IMO. Alex is always shuffling the pack so they'll all get games but I'd still love to see a really world class CM arrive to take over from Scholesy.
"I totally agree with Darren Fletcher, Scholes is the best midfield player the world. I thought his performance on saturday was tremendous." -
bonehead red, strangeways.
Who's performance Bonehead - Scholes?
That's quite incredible, he was was out doing the shopping at Tesco with the strife and kids whilst we were playing.
Now that's what I call an influence on the team!!!
Duncan, good point re Fletch and his change in style. It's been a subtle but significant shift and I think he's finally found his role as an all-action, 100mph midfield troubleshooter (sweeping up loose balls, tackling, keeping the game simple). In short, he's more Keane (although clearly not in his class - mind you, who is?) than Scholes or Fabregas.
In fact, his progression pretty much makes the so-called 'Hargreaves role' redundant, as although not a conventional holding midfielder - far from it - he DOES give us the energy and physicality lacking in the likes of the ponderous, statuesque Carrick and ageing, asthmatic Scholes.
In many ways Fletch has not lived up to his billing: he's a competent, but not great, passer; he's never going to dictate a game (like Scholes or Fabregas), but in accepting his limitations he seems to have finally blossomed. Much better a high-voltage worker who can play a bit, as opposed to a supposed midfield passer/playmaker who tends to disappoint.
T&C, can't argue with that formation with Scholes, Carrick and Fletcher. Anderson can fill on for Scholes when he's rested and eventually replace him in there. That's an engine room that will keep us going for many a year.
Robbo, when you say "ponderous & statuesque", presumably you mean "elegant and assured style encompassing tackling, distribution and goals"?