Gary Neville has taken Ruben Amorim’s side after Marcus Rashford criticised Manchester United by claiming they have struggled due to a lack of a coherent long-term plan
Gary Neville didn’t want to discuss Marcus Rashford’s comments(Image: Sky Sports)
Gary Neville has told Marcus Rashford to concentrate on Barcelona rather than comment on Ruben Amorim’s work at Manchester United. Rashford has left behind his boyhood club to join Barca on loan for the 2025-26 season, but couldn’t help giving his take on the rebuilding job Amorim has on his hands at Old Trafford.
Rashford had some damning criticism for United, claiming they can’t hide behind the excuse of being a club in transition. “To start a transition you have to make a plan and stick to it,” he said last week on The Rest is Football Podcast.
“This is where I speak about being realistic about what your situation is. We’ve had that many different managers, ideas and strategies in order to win that you end up in no man’s land.”
His words came up during a conversation on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football as Neville spoke about Amorim’s situation. “This season I think the manager to watch is the United manager,” Neville said.
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“All eyes are on him. Can he do it? He had a horrible start to his United career. He didn’t want the job part way through last season.”
Presenter David Jones interjected: “Do you not think because of that he gets this season, whatever happens?”
“Oh no I don’t think it’ll be that easy,” responded Neville. “I think if he’s down in the bottom half of the table he’ll be under massive pressure.”
Again Jones interjected, this time asking: “What about what Marcus Rashford said the other day, that Manchester United have got to come up with a plan and stick with it somewhere, haven’t they?”
Marcus Rashford has left Manchester United for Barcelona(Image: Alex Caparros, Getty Images)
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Neville held up his hand, waved it, and, somewhat damningly remarked: “Let’s ignore that, because I don’t want to go into Marcus Rashford comments tonight. He was there at the club for 10 years and had his opportunity to impact the club. Ruben Amorim, this year, I think will do a good job. Marcus should concentrate on Barcelona.”
Continuing more broadly on Amorim’s United, and what he’d seen from their opening game of the season – the 1-0 defeat by Arsenal on Sunday – Neville offered: “Yesterday was the first time I watched that formation out on Old Trafford, where I thought ‘right, we’ve got a chance here, that worked’.
“He’d got a few different players in, he’d got [Mason] Mount back, got Luke Shaw in at left centre-back, that helped and I think it was the first time, it’s a difficult, rare system, it needs specialists, but when you saw [Matheus] Cunha play, saw Mount play, saw Shaw at left centre-back – there was a balance! Casemiro looked a better player all of a sudden! Just straight away he looked a better player.”
Laughing, Jamie Carragher interrupted: “It was one game!” United continue their Premier League campaign against Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday.
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Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
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