Manchester United drew against Manchester City on Sunday afternoon and Gary Neville was left disappointed with the performance.
Ruben Amorim entered his second Manchester derby off the back of a defeat.
Manchester United lost to Nottingham Forest in midweek, leaving Amorim seeking a response against Pep Guardiola.
Amorim had already beaten Guardiola twice this season, but a third victory proved elusive as United drew 0-0 against City.
This was a game woefully short of quality, and whilst United had openings in front of goal, the quality wasn’t there to find the net.
United take a point and move on, but pundit Gary Neville fumed over the performance at Old Trafford.
Gary Neville on Manchester United performance
United managed 13 shots against City, but only two were on target – and City goalkeeper Ederson wasn’t tested too much.
Former United right back Gary Neville spoke to Sky Sports (06/04, 7pm) and suggested that the product on the pitch was underwhelming.
Neville fumed over the ‘robotic nature’ of big games, suggesting that United players were ‘micro-managed’ and restricted from making something happen going forward.
Neville suggested that too many teams are ‘poor imitations’ of Pep Guardiola’s City side, pointing to Andre Onana’s role in United’s build-up.
‘That’s not what we do here,’ said Neville, suggesting that United must play with more tempo and rhythm, urging Amorim’s side to play quicker going forward.
“I don’t think there was one player who walked off that pitch that was disappointed about drawing the game 0-0 – from either side,” said Neville.
“It was really disappointing. I apologise for my co-commentary, actually. I think I let it get to me, I was boring on there as well, I was drab as well.
“There’s part of me, I get what he’s saying about it being that part of the season, about City and United being in a difficult moment, but this robotic nature of not leaving our positions, of basically being micro-managed within an inch of our lives, of not having any freedom to take a risk to try and win a football match, is becoming an illness in the game, it’s becoming a disease in the game.
“If you think about Pep Guardiola and his teams over the last 10 years, that’s what his teams do, but we’re seeing poor imitations of that across the board now. United’s goalkeeper rolling his foot on the ball and waiting for things to happen, that’s not it! That’s not what this club is! That’s not what we do here! Liverpool don’t do that, you’ve got to be a top team with tempo in your play, rhythm in your play, get the ball moving, shift it quickly,” he added.
- READ MORE: Who is Gary Neville? Step into the world of the Manchester United legend turned top-tier pundit
Ruben Amorim on Manchester United display
Amorim spoke to BBC Sport after the final whistle and suggested that United simply had to play a different way than against Forest in midweek.
United had 23 shots at the City Ground but just couldn’t score in a 1-0 defeat.
Amorim suggested that United ‘did well’ against City, but the excitement wasn’t too high because United are ‘not fighting for big things’.
“I think we did well. We played a different game compared to Nottingham Forest last week. I know the excitement is not the same when you are not fighting for big things, changes the excitement of the derby,” said Amorim.
We can understand Amorim being a little more reserved in big games, especially with the United squad not exactly at its best this season.
United fans – Neville included – will want to see much more going forward though and Amorim will be expected to bring a much more attacking style of play next season and beyond.
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