Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville has delivered a brutally honest assessment of his old club's prospects this season, admitting he lacks confidence in both them and their arch-rivals Liverpool.
A Rare Admission of Doubt
The Sky Sports pundit, known for his staunch support of United, made the surprising confession when asked which of the two struggling giants would finish higher in the Premier League table. "Let's hope it's Manchester United, but I'm not very confident on either of them at the moment!" Neville stated. This rare moment of public doubt from the club legend highlights the severe difficulties both teams are facing in the current campaign.
Struggles on Both Sides of the Rivalry
The two most successful clubs in English football are currently languishing in mid-table, with neither looking capable of challenging Arsenal for the title. United, under manager Ruben Amorim, had recently enjoyed the longest unbeaten run of his tenure - five matches. However, that small positive was completely undone by a shocking home defeat to Everton on Monday.
The situation at Liverpool appears even more dire. After a promising start that saw them win their opening five games and top the table, the Reds have spiralled downwards dramatically. A disastrous run of nine losses in their last twelve matches has seen them plummet down the standings, now sitting below Manchester United.
Scathing Criticism After Everton Defeat
Neville's lack of faith follows his scathing criticism of United's performance against Everton. The Toffees managed to secure a victory at Old Trafford despite being reduced to ten men, marking the first time United have ever lost to a 10-man side at home in the Premier League era, ending a run spanning 46 games.
Neville did not hold back in his analysis, stating: "We're trying to build a trust in a manager, we're trying to build a trust in a team. The fans booed collectively at the end. It was loud, and rightly so." He described the performance as "nowhere near good enough" and "not acceptable," adding that it felt like the team had gone "back to the start again" after showing small signs of progress.
The pundit's comments came while he was a guest of Mercedes F1 for the Qatar Grand Prix sprint race, showing that his concerns about United's form follow him even beyond the football pitch. This comes despite United recently ending a 10-year wait for a win at Anfield, a rare bright spot in an otherwise inconsistent season for both historic clubs.
