Sky Sports pundits Jamie Redknapp and Gary Neville were involved in an astonishing on-air ding dong in the aftermath of Manchester United' s stunning 4-0 defeat to Brentford.
The pair traded blows in a tetchy back and forth that threatened to spill over as Liverpool favourite Redknapp warned Neville "look at me" when he turned away during the exchange over who is to blame for United's race to the bottom. Redknapp was keen to put blame on the players while the former Old Trafford star was keen to hold the Glazers under the light in the wake of a shambolic night in London.
But the pair couldn't find a middle ground as the fiercely forced their arguments to each other in the grim post-mortem following Erik Ten Hag's side being ripped to shreds by the Bees. And it threatened to spill over when Neville looked in the other direction amid a passionate discussion. Redknapp snapped on Sky Sports: "Just look at me when I'm talking to you". That reminder appeared to focus the Manchester United icon during a heated exchange.
The much-loved duo were able to draw a line under their previous disagreement as they hugged and shared a laugh just before the Sky cameras stopped rolling at the GTech Community Stadium.
But it appears such a quick turnaround is not an option for Manchester United themselves, who now sit rock bottom of the English Premier League in dire straits after consecutive defeats. And Liverpool are up next.
Here is the full exchange
Neville : "Those players, we've told the story of them for 12 months. We're continually saying the same things about the same people. Wasn't it Ralf Rangnick who said Man Utd needed open heart surgery? He was the guy to direct this club, so they've obviously not listened to him or they've got complete inability to bring the players into the club. Man Utd have always answered fan anger through money and spending - the problem is no one wants to take the money."
Redknapp : "And maybe no one wants to come here at the moment."
Neville : "They can't spend the money - and that's a big problem. I said at half-time, if you're a player watching that performance what are you thinking? It is a great club, magic club, its been the biggest thing in my life and I couldn't be more proud to support them. But at this moment in time it is really desperate. There's no leadership, no voice, you can't blame individual players or the manager. You have to look above, you have to look at the very top. This week, they're going to get peppered. But there's a family over there in America who are letting their employees take all the hits and that is unforgivable. Joel Glazer has got to get on a plane tomorrow, get over to Manchester and tell everyone what the hell his plan is with the football club."
Redknapp : "I get that but..."
Neville : "You've had a go at the players."
Redknapp : "You can't get blaming the owners when the players are putting in performances like that. Let me ask you a question. We didn't win the league for 30 years at Liverpool right. Look at me when I'm talking to you. They have to take responsibility, when you're a player you don't think 'I wonder what Joel Glazer is doing tomorrow?'"
Neville : "How many times are we going to say the players lack leadership, personality?"
Redknapp : "How many times are you going to say they've got to get rid of the owners?"
Neville : "They've proven they can't handle it these players - so they needed a good transfer market."
Redknapp : "It was Ed Woodward's fault - he's gone. Whose fault is it now?"
Neville : "When the business is failing its the owners of the business - its really simple."
Redknapp : "They keep spending money on the players. You think they go and everything's going to be great."
Neville : "Jamie, they took £24m out of the club about two months ago. We've got a decrepit, rotting stadium that is second rate when it was the best in the world 20 years ago. You've got a football project where they haven't got a clue, they put bankers in charge of the football club, they've not appointed a sporting director. You can look at the players all you like, but there are that many big things that need to be put right first. They've got to show up and face the music, you can't keep hiding in Tampa."
Redknapp : "I get that about the owners, but you can't keep saying its nothing do to with the players."
Neville : "Jamie, I've heard you criticise Daniel Levy at Tottenham when they failed over a long period of time because they've had failure over 20, 30 years. That's fact. So my point is, they've failed at Man Utd for ten years. The club is rotting."
Redknapp : "But he (Levy) has got it right - you know why. He's done what you should've done and got Antonio Conte in, but you didn't want to touch him. He would've come here and got those players in better shape than what they are."
Neville : "He (Levy) built an unbelievable stadium, got the best training ground, appointed a fantastic sporting director..."
Redknapp : "He's got a lot wrong..."
Neville : "Hang on, he's now got a manager who suits what they want to do at this moment in time. Man Utd are the opposite of that."
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