- Liverpool failed to make their chances count in a 2-2 draw with Man United
- Gary Neville has slammed his former side despite them taking a point
- Why this is the end for Erik ten Hag at Man United – Listen to the It’s All Kicking Off podcast
Gary Neville has slammed Manchester United’s style of play following their chaotic 2-2 draw with Liverpool at Old Trafford.
Liverpool failed to make their chances pay and only salvaged a point late on through a Mohamed Salah penalty, after stunning goals from Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo gave the Red Devils a shock lead.
Erik ten Hag’s side were perhaps fortunate after giving up 28 shots on their goal – their highest number on record in a Premier League home game.
They also gave up 31 chances in a 1-1 draw at Brentford the previous weekend, while they lost 4-3 to Chelsea in midweek in a similarly chaotic game.
Sky Sports pundit Neville has described his former side’s style of play as ‘mad’ while adding that ‘some of the things you see out there, you wouldn’t see at schoolboy level’.
Gary Neville (right) has slammed Manchester United’s ‘mad’ style of play after their chaotic draw with Liverpool
The Red Devils took a point as Liverpool failed to make their chances count at Old Trafford
Neville has described United as the worst team in the Premier League when out of possession
Your browser does not support iframes.
He said on The Gary Neville Podcast: ‘Their structure defensively goes from being in shape and being okay to all of a sudden emptying the whole midfield. Players press on their own without the rest of their team-mates going with them.
‘You have players in front of the ball at throw-ins and the ball gets thrown in behind towards the back four.
‘All of the things that you see as, if you like, the easiest things in football to do, Manchester United do really badly.’
Only bottom side Sheffield United have allowed more shots (560) than Manchester United (554) in the Premier League this season.
It has been a big factor as to why the Red Devils’ levels have dropped off this term, as they are now 11 points behind Tottenham and Aston Villa in the race to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
Neville said it was ‘baffling’ some of the things United do, and ‘makes you wonder’ what Ten Hag’s instructions are.
He added: ‘No other team in the league plays as badly out of possession as they do. That’s why they concede so many shots, and over 20 against Liverpool. That has got to stop and stop quickly.’
The Manchester United legend was left exasperated on commentary insisting that it’s ‘so easy to play against their midfield’.
Erik ten Hag’s side are 11 points off Tottenham and Aston Villa following a poor week
United nearly snatched an unlikely victory after stunning goals from Bruno Fernandes and Kobbie Mainoo
At one point in the first-half, he said: ‘Casemiro and Mainoo are both pressing. It’s basic stuff.’
There was another moment when Bruno Fernandes went charging after a ball, to the annoyance of Neville.
‘He’s never going to get that ball! Some of the things that Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro have done in the first half, it really is incredible for their experience. It’s desperate defending from United.’
Roy Keane also slammed his former side after the game saying they played ‘like a small club’
Roy Keane, meanwhile, said that Manchester United played ‘like a small club’ and questioned Ten Hag after the Dutchman appeared positive in his post-match interview.
The former United captain told Sky Sports: ‘Listen, obviously he’s had a couple of glasses of wine after the game. I don’t know how strong that is, but he seemed really upbeat, and I admire him for that, because he’s obviously seen something that I’m not seeing at this moment in time.’
He also said: ‘The way Man United are playing is like a mid-table team, a small club, you don’t know what you’re going to get.’
