Manchester City chief Patrick Vieira says England have badly missed Manchester United icon Paul Scholes since his international retirement.

Vieira says Scholes has no England peer in midfield.

"He is the best player of his generation. he is a big miss," Vieira told the Mail on Sunday. "And when you have one of the best players in the world in that position and he retires so early, it's so sad for the national team.

"Sir Alex Ferguson managed to get him back playing at Manchester United but England cannot have the person who can make him understand how important he is for English football and, because of who he is, the responsibility he has, too."