Liverpool’s 7-0 demolition of Manchester United in March was arguably the most stunning result of last season – but Gary Neville has downplayed the Reds’ performance in that game…
That humbling at the hands of their arch-rivals provided a reality check for Man United in a season of progress under Erik ten Hag – although Neville seems somewhat in denial.
And the United legend explains his stance in a joint interview alongside Sky Sports colleague Jamie Carragher for the latest issue of FourFourTwo available to buy.
“I was just embarrassed that it got so bad in the second half,” Neville says. “I actually don’t think Liverpool played that well [Carragher bursts out laughing].
“Honestly, I’ve seen Liverpool play a lot f**king better. Liverpool weren’t in a great run of form; they lost to Bournemouth the week after. There were a couple of really good goals, but other than that, the goals were an absolute farce. United did that a few times during the season. It was out of character because, to be fair, they finished third in the league, got to cup finals, beat Barcelona and beat Manchester City and Arsenal at home; they won some massive matches.”
While United were rather formidable at home last term, losing just once at Old Trafford in the league, their away form left rather a lot to be desired as they suffered eight defeats on the road – as many as 17th-placed Everton.
And Neville wants to see much better from his former club as they look to progress in Ten Hag’s second campaign at the helm.
“Their away record, particularly against the big teams in the top half of the league, was absolutely shocking,” he notes. “Obviously, the hardest games in the season are the away games against the top teams, so it’s a big fix, but it was basically a disaster for us against teams like Brentford, Brighton, Liverpool [and] City. All of those games were an absolute shambles.”
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