Aheed Abrar
Gary Nevills feels Manchester United “nowhere near” Manchester City after Aston Villa defeat
Manchester United icon Gary Neville feels the Red Devils are nowhere near Manchester City after the defeat to Aston Villa. The former defender has also doused the hype that has surrounded Erik ten Hag’s time in the Old Trafford dugout.
United were on a nine-game unbeaten run in all competitions before visiting Villa Park on Sunday (6 November). Goals from Leon Bailey and Lucas Digne in the first half and a Jacob Ramsay strike in the second half handed the Lions a famous 3-1 victory in the Premier League.
Speaking on his Sky Sports podcast (h/t Metro), Neville, who spent almost 20 successful years with the Red Devils, feels the Red Devils are still a way off of their city rivals.
“I’m surprised for Manchester United, I thought they would beat Villa, that has shocked me a little bit.
“It’s a dip. Overall, I’m not wholly convinced by United at all. This idea that United are back, they’re not. They’re nowhere near Man City.
“I think Ten Hag is getting the maximum out of them. He needs two or three years in the job and a few transfer windows. There’s signs they’re getting better but they’re not back.”
The former England international was part of a United side that dwarfed the Sky Blues. The red half of Manchester were way ahead of the Cityzens for a number of decades and were one of the most dominant sides in England.
However, recently, City have taken the top spot. Especially since the arrival of Pep Guardiola, the Sky Blues have become a team to reckon with. And their ascent has coincided with the Red Devils’ relative downfall.
Sir Alex Ferguson was the last manager to lift the Premier League title with the Old Trafford side in 2012. Since then, fans have seen multiple high-profile changes in the dugout, but none have managed to take up back to the pinnacle.
Ten Hag was appointed United manager at the end of last season, where we finished sixth in the league and City lifted their fourth championship in five years. The Dutch manager got off to a poor start. However, he has managed to get us back into the running for the top four.
More Manchester United News
- Manchester United defender Luke Shaw brutally honest about the embarrassing 3-1 loss to Aston Villa
- Aston Villa manager Unai Emery believes the team talk was to target spaces left open by Manchester United
- Man United manager Erik ten Hag believes Aston Villa’s second goal could have been stopped
The Sky Blues lost just three league fixtures in the previous campaign as they lifted the PL title. The defeat to Villa was the Red Devils’ fourth in the English top flight in the 2022/23 season. One of those losses was at the Etihad Stadium as the match ended 6-3.
Thus, it will evidently take a lot for us to challenge our rivals once more.
