Former footballer Gary Neville has found himself at the centre of a social media storm after his commentary during Manchester United's 1-0 defeat to Everton drew sharp criticism from ex-Toffees winger Yannick Bolasie.
The On-Air Criticism
During Sky Sports' coverage of Monday night's Premier League clash at Old Trafford, Neville's analysis grew increasingly frustrated as his former club struggled to break down a 10-man Everton side. The visitors had seen Idrissa Gueye sent off early in the match after a bizarre confrontation with his own teammate, Michael Keane.
Despite playing with a numerical advantage for most of the game, United couldn't find an equaliser after Kieran Dewsbury-Hall's first-half strike secured a memorable victory for the Merseyside club. As United's possession failed to translate into goals, Neville's commentary became a focal point for criticism.
Bolasie's Viral Reaction
Yannick Bolasie, who made over 100 appearances for Everton between 2016 and 2020, took to social media platform X to voice his displeasure with Neville's performance in the commentary box. His post quickly went viral, amassing more than 14,000 likes within hours.
"I'm watching this game on mute," Bolasie wrote, accompanied by a crying with laughter emoji. "I respect opinions but not when he's giggling all over the mic thinking he's the second coming of Guardiola, allow it... great player but the tactics give it a rest laaaad."
The criticism resonated with many viewers, with one Twitter user describing Neville as a "Valencia flop" in reference to his brief and unsuccessful managerial spell at the Spanish club. Even a Liverpool supporter joined the conversation, noting that "we all know how it ended when he tried to play manager."
Neville's Post-Match Assessment
Following the final whistle, Neville didn't hold back in his assessment of United's performance during his podcast. The former England defender described the display as "complacent" and warned that such results could "erode trust" within the dressing room.
"It just smelt of complacency," Neville stated. "They weren't at it from the beginning. That is a bad one for United. You can't go from the fight that they showed in certain games to that. It just erodes confidence, it erodes trust."
He acknowledged the loud booing from home supporters at full-time was justified, describing the performance as "nowhere near good enough" and "not acceptable." His comments highlighted the growing pressure on manager Ruben Amorim after what many considered a significant setback in United's season.
Despite the criticism from Bolasie and sections of the viewing public, Neville also received support from some quarters. An Arsenal fan defended his analytical approach, describing him as "one of the greatest (if not the greatest) pundits today" who consistently backs his arguments with "reason, facts and logic."
