Gary Neville didn’t hold back when Manchester United suffered a shocking defeat to Tottenham Hotspur. The former United captain called their performance “disgusting” and “one of the worst” under Erik ten Hag.
Gary Neville Slams United’s First-Half Collapse
Manchester United hoped to bounce back after a 1-1 draw with FC Twente in midweek. But Gary Neville was furious as they crumbled in the first half against Spurs. Tottenham took an early lead when Brennan Johnson finished off a brilliant run by Micky van de Ven after just three minutes.
Joshua Zirkzee and Alejandro Garnacho both had chances to equalize, but United failed to convert. Garnacho even hit the post from close range. Things got worse as Bruno Fernandes was sent off after a reckless challenge on James Maddison just before halftime.
Neville Blasts United’s “Disgraceful” Effort
Gary Neville labeled United’s first-half display as one of the worst under Ten Hag. “It’s not just bad, it’s a disgrace,” Neville said during commentary. “Probably one of the worst halves I’ve seen under Ten Hag.”
He continued: “I can’t believe what I’m watching. It’s not even about goals—it’s the basics. They look shattered.”
Neville went on to say that even amateur teams could have performed better. “There were better Sunday league teams this morning than what we’ve seen from United. Pub football,” Neville raged.
Spurs Dominate After Fernandes’ Red Card
United’s hopes of a comeback were dashed when Spurs doubled their lead just after halftime. Johnson’s counter-attack down the right found Dejan Kulusevski, who calmly slotted past Andre Onana to make it 2-0.
Timo Werner had a golden chance to extend the lead, but Onana made an impressive double save. United grew into the game later on, but they couldn’t capitalize on their possession.
Dominic Solanke added a third goal late on, sealing United’s fate and sending them to their third Premier League defeat in six games.
Gary Neville Fears for Ten Hag’s Future
After the game, Gary Neville praised Tottenham’s performance but expressed deep concerns for Erik ten Hag. “Brilliant from Tottenham. They played great football from the start,” Neville said. “But for United, the big story is how they chose to deliver their worst possible performance.”
Neville’s harshest words came when he criticized United’s effort. “It was an absolutely disgusting performance in the first half—effort, quality, everything. Questions will be asked of the manager and the team.”
Eriksen’s Worrying Comments Add to Neville’s Concerns
Neville also mentioned Christian Eriksen’s post-match comments after the draw with Twente, where Eriksen said the Dutch side “wanted it more.” Neville found those words troubling. “He’s an experienced player, and if he’s questioning the team’s motivation, it’s a big problem.”
Neville stressed that the pressure is mounting on Ten Hag and the players. “Today was a critical moment in the season for United. They were as bad as it gets. Ten Hag needs to get control quickly.”
Pressure Building for Manchester United
With the defeat, Manchester United now sit in the bottom half of the Premier League table, eight points behind leaders Liverpool. Gary Neville warned that the club needs to act fast. “There’s a lot of change happening behind the scenes. But the team needs wins, or the pressure will intensify. Today, they’ve sunk to a real low.”
Manchester United will face FC Porto in the Europa League on Thursday, followed by a Premier League clash with Aston Villa.
