Gary Neville: Man United have been disgraceful and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is not off the hook

Gary Neville says Man United have been ‘disgraceful to watch’ and ‘an embarrassment’ without the ball – and warns boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer he is not ‘off the hook’ for a sacking if Man City beat them


Gary Neville claims Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is not safe from the sack at Manchester United despite a 3-0 win at Tottenham on Sunday as he cannot forgive his former club for recent poor displays.

Solskjaer was under immense pressure after United were thrashed 5-0 at home to Liverpool last weekend – the Red Devils’ fourth straight Premier League match without a victory.

The Norwegian boss changed tactics to a back three for the trip to Tottenham and goals from Cristiano Ronaldo, Edinson Cavani and Marcus Rashford improved the mood in the Old Trafford camp, but Neville has remained critical of Solskjaer’s United.  

Gary Neville says Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (above) is not safe after Man United's win at Tottenham

Gary Neville says Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (above) is not safe after Man United’s win at Tottenham

The Red Devils won 3-0 in north London to ease the pressure on the under-fire Norwegian

The Red Devils won 3-0 in north London to ease the pressure on the under-fire Norwegian

‘It doesn’t save his job,’ Neville told Sky Sports after the win over Tottenham. ‘It just keeps him a foot on the line – the first rung of the ladder – because there’s two big games coming up this week. And there is still a lot of work to do. 

‘But he’ll recognise he’s got something to build on. That’s all it is, because I’m not letting Manchester United players or the manager off the hook for that matter with one decent performance out of possession.

‘That’s something we’ve got to see now against Atalanta and (Man) City and every single week.’

Neville praised Solskjaer for switching to a back three following the Old Trafford massacre against arch-rivals Liverpool, but did admit that the change in tactics should have come earlier. 

Neville claims Solskjaer cannot be forgiven for United's poor run before the Tottenham game

Neville claims Solskjaer cannot be forgiven for United’s poor run before the Tottenham game

‘They found something (on Sunday),’ he added. ‘People will point towards Tottenham’s performance, a poor Tottenham team, but in the last few weeks it didn’t matter who Manchester United had played, they conceded chances. 

‘Whether it’s Newcastle, Aston Villa, Everton, Villarreal, Atalanta – they all created mountains of chances. And I’d been so critical of Manchester United’s out of possession work. 

‘To be one of the lowest in the league for tackles, pressures, bottom five or six in the league for distance covered, to make the most errors conceded to chances, that is a massive embarrassment. 

‘When you watched them in the last few weeks, their intensity out of possession to go win the ball back and hurt for the team – that’s where the hard yards are done in football. I think that’s been disgraceful to watch and that’s been Ole’s biggest problem. 

‘They’ve gone back to what I think Manchester United will be with this squad and this manager. This manager can’t get them pressing, it’s not in his nature. He’s had them on the counter attack for three years.’ 

More to follow. 

source: dailymail.co.uk