Gary Neville has asked Sky Sports to remove him from Manchester City coverage until the outcome of the club's appeal against breaching Premier League financial rules is known. The request came after he provided co-commentary for City's victory over Liverpool at Anfield, where he found it difficult to offer praise given the possibility that the points could ultimately count for nothing.
City's dominant display at Anfield
In a hostile atmosphere, City produced a professional performance and silenced the home crowd before capitalising on Ryan Gravenberch's red card midway through the first half. Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku and Rayan Cherki all scored in a blistering 13-minute spell from Enzo Maresca's side. Despite the convincing win, it was Elliot Anderson who left Neville impressed.
Neville said on Sky Sports: "This is the first Manchester City game that I have done today since the charges or guilty verdicts were handed out a few weeks ago." He added: "We were just doing the podcast then and said if you could take me off Manchester City games moving forward for the next few months until the verdicts have been heard, I would be absolutely delighted."
Praise tempered by ongoing case
He continued: "To come and win at Anfield is really difficult, we should be eulogising over them without a but or any hesitation, but there is that thing in the back of your mind. They have done a brilliant job here today. They have dominated the game in the last 20 minutes, from the red card onwards. They have dug in and I think players like [Gianluigi] Donnarumma, [Ruben] Dias and Anderson, in that first-half were excellent. They stood strong as a group."
Neville also reflected on the wider implications: "At the end of the game it is quite hard because you are imagining basically if these guilty verdicts are confirmed in January or February then Manchester City are not going to be in the position they are in and there is going to be a huge cloud hanging over the whole league, which is not good for the Premier League right now and that is what I have just recognised today. Really bad for the Premier League and it is going to continue for a few months."
Players deemed blameless
The appeals process has already been initiated, though it could be a considerable period before a definitive conclusion is reached. The sanctions hearing is also ongoing, with their potential penalty likely to be revealed first.
While praise may be challenging to offer, both Neville and Jamie Carragher made it clear that the players do not warrant the hostile treatment. Neville said: "That's the problem for the Man City staff, players and supporters, they are blameless in all of this. The stain, stigma, reputational damage that hits them, it's nothing to do with them but they have to face it on the pitch, in the stadium, week after week."
Carragher added: "The players on that pitch they've had to face the criticism. All eyes on this game, you almost look at the director's box thinking they should be on the pitch facing the barrage of criticism."
