Gary Neville, former captain of the “Red Devils”, launched an open criticism on his Sky Sports podcast about the lack of professionalism of several Manchester United players. The comment comes in the middle of a disastrous season for the club, which is just one point away from relegation after eight games without a win and with manager Michael Carrick under increasing pressure.
Neville's episode focused on the team's recent relegation against Bournemouth at Old Trafford, where United lost 0‑3. According to the former player, the reaction of the fans, who booed the players as they left the field, reflects collective frustration. Neville claimed that “some of them are not very professional”, citing habits such as not sleeping on time, not following the right diet and not thinking about the club every day. “They don't live and breathe Manchester United like they should,” he added, calling some players “unprofessional.”
The former captain also directed his criticism at the club's management, alleging that the decisions made are damaging the team's business image. “They are making bad decisions,” he said, suggesting that the lack of discipline in the locker room may be due to the arrogance of some players. As for Michael Carrick, Neville defended the coach, recalling his career with the club and the English team. “He is a man of integrity, credibility and professional,” he said, pointing out that the blame does not fall solely on him.
However, Neville did not fail to warn that the situation is unsustainable. He commented that Carrick “is going to suffer the consequences” for not having achieved results, and recalled BrunoFernandes' public criticism of the coach after the 4-1 defeat against Como in the Champions League. “If Bruno has turned against him publicly, imagine what they are like behind the scenes,” he concluded.
With the club about to fall to the second tier, the pressure on the board and coaching staff will continue to grow. Manchester United must quickly decide whether to keep Carrick and the questioned players or whether to look for changes to avoid a relegation that would mark the history of the institution.