Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville has called for serious questions to be asked of manager Erik ten Hag and his players after what he labelled an “absolutely disgusting” performance against Tottenham Hotspur.
The club legend turned pundit and entrepreneur was on co-comms for the Premier League meeting which ended up being a 3-0 rout by the visitors which included two goals barely moments into each half and one final blow that saw hordes of fans trudge out of Old Trafford in the 77th minute.
Some chaos thanks to a controversial red card shown to Bruno Fernandes saw the Reds play well over half the 90 with just 10 men, but very few excuses could be made for an all-around shambolic showing by the home team.
Gary Neville and Sky Sports delivered a lengthy post-match review as part of his podcast following the result, in which he said it was nothing short of “disgraceful” and that a serious investigation into the dressing room needs to take place – and soon.
"It was a disgusting performance" 😤
Gary Neville says something is going wrong in the Manchester United dressing room ❌ pic.twitter.com/nxRSRM3cDe
The retired right-back began by referencing midfielder Christian Eriksen’s comments after the previous game in the Europa League where United could only muster a draw against FC Twente, especially as a senior figure who is inside the dressing room and has seen it all over a lengthy career.
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“When he says that they don’t want it as much as another team in a game of football, that matters more than anything anyone else can say because he’s inside there, he’s seen with his own eyes. We know [the changing room] can’t be great because it transmits out onto the pitch”, began Neville.
The 49-year-old described it as “an absolutely disgusting performance in that first half, in effort, quality, everything you want in a football team […] That really was a nothing [game] and my heart sinks”, adding: “There are going to be a lot of questions to answer for that group and the manager in the next week
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Going on to note that from a purely defensive point of view, the players don’t look like they even know when to trigger a press and simply let teams walk through them, particularly for the first goal, he summed it up as a “shocking day all-round, in terms of idea, plan, effort – in terms of everything.
You can see Neville’s full verdict on United‘s calamitous collapse – all 24 minutes and 36 seconds of it – vs Spurs down below.
We think it’s fair to say Gary Neville has A LOT of thoughts on ten Hag and United after that game too.
Neville is just one of many ex-pros, be they United-affiliated or not, that came out to comment on the performance, with countless calling it simply “embarrassing”.
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Fellow Sky Sports panellist Jamie Redknapp went so far as to say that the club had hit “rock bottom” and is now “going backwards” under ten Hag, as talk of him potentially getting the sack is now ramping up once again.
While many fans felt first official Chris Kavanagh did let the game get out of control and that the sending-off only added to the chaos, as Neville put it, “that’s only half the story” and the other half was that the team put in “their very worst possible showing.”
What do you reckon: how long does the Dutchman have to turn things around at the Theatre of Dreams or should Man United act now? You can see the highlights from the match down below.
Pep Guardiola says he won’t manage another club after Manchester City
Danny Jones
Pep Guardiola has claimed he won’t manage another team after his tenure at Manchester City is up, so enjoy the ride whilst you can, Blues.
One of the most successful managers in history, Pep Guardiola is undoubtedly one of the greatest managers to have ever lived but it looks like the 53-year-old is now starting to think about life after football – or at least after Man City.
Guardiola recently extended his stay at the Eithad with a new two-year contract but it did look like he was ramping up to leave until the 11th hour and it now seems as though his time at City will be his last in the world of club football.
Pep Guardiola claims that he won't manage another club after Manchester City…
When asked about his future by his fellow compatriot, Pep said: “I’m going to stop. I am not going to join another team, I’m not going to leave to go to another country. I won’t have the energy. For now, I’m still here but to think about starting again, the whole process of training – no, no.”
Energy has been a defining factor for so many managers of late, with long-time rival Jürgen Klopp having departed Liverpool FC as a result of the fatigue caused by the job.
With countless cups, six Premier League titles and a trio of Champions League trophies to his name, Pep has pretty much won everything there is to win, which will no doubt factor into his eventual decision.
That being said, Pep did go on to suggest that however long he stays in the sport after his time in Manchester is all said and done, his next role would likely be in international football as leading a country to major silverware is the one thing he hasn’t achieved just yet.
City have managed to get points back on the board in their last two games, notching a much-needed 3-0 against Nottingham Forest before only managing to scrape a draw against Crystal Palace this past weekend, but with a derby approaching this Sunday, all eyes are on Manchester.
With the title race already looking like a nigh on an insurmountable task given the points they’ve already drooped (even with Liverpool’s recent slip-up), Pep’s stress and energy are already pushed to their limits as it is.
You might only get a couple more years with the tactical genius, City fans, so make the most of it.
You can watch Pep Guardiola’s full interview with Dani García down below – though it is in Spanish so you will need subtitles on:
Manchester City’s alleged charges have been increased to 130
Danny Jones
Manchester City’s hearing over their 115 alleged breaches of FFP (financial fair play) has ended and the outcome is that their charges have now been increased to 130.
Not exactly what Blues will want to hear.
The hearing officially concluded last Friday, 6 December after a 12-week process to determine whether they broke Premier League regulations regarding PSR (profit and sustainability), with accusations initially spanning a nine-year period.
However, rather than making any progress when it comes to clearing their record, it looks as though the opposite has happened.
Man City are now alleged to have committed 130 breaches of Premier League rules with both parties still able to enter an official appeal.
The hearing was held at the International Dispute Resolution Centre near St Paul’s in London, kicking off in September before coming to a close on Friday, 6 December.
Fans will no doubt have been hoping for and maybe even expecting a much more positive update, especially after having been successful in their recent case against the division regarding sponsorship deals and Associated Party Transactions (APT).
As well as the number of alleged breaches having risen to 130, the period of offence is also now said to have been extended, jumping from just under a decade to a total of 14 years.
The Times writer Martyn Ziegler says the club could quietly learn of their fate as soon as next month and even though a final decision still isn’t expected until spring 2025, should either side appeal the final outcome, this will likely draw out proceedings for several more months.
Man City’s charges have gone from 115 to 130. (Credit: The Manc Group)
For context, City still deny all of the claims laid against them, which include failing to provide accurate financial information for as many as nine seasons, full details of players’ wages, hiding the true figure former manager Roberto Mancini was paid for her service, as well as failing to cooperate with the Premier League’s investigation and UEFA’s FFP rules.
The club were slapped with a two-year European ban back in 2020 and have been fined by the European footballing body previously, but that ban was ultimately dropped and even their most recent financial punishment was dropped from £30 million to just £10m – chump change given their spending power.
It still remains unclear what exactly will happen to the reigning English champions if they are found guilty but with Pep Guardiola’s also struggling for form of late, having lost five games in a row for the first time in the Catalan’s career, those inside the Etihad could do with some good news.
The blue moon that has loomed over Manchester in recent years is looking a little lost behind the clouds at the minute.
Danny Jones -
30th September 2024 
