It has been reported that Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal blasted club legend Gary Neville after victory at Southampton.
The Dutch tactician took exception to Neville’s claim that Sunday’s game against Liverpool will be “the Dog and Duck against the Red Lion”.
The prickly Dutchman snapped: “He can say everything because he’s an ex-legend. But as an ex-legend, you have to know what you’re saying.”
Pressed further, the United boss appeared to imply Neville should be more respectful to his former club.
He said: “You can interpret that (as you like). It’s not difficult when I say he has to pay attention to his words.”
WHAT NEV SAID:
“It’s going to be the Dog and Duck versus the Red Lion!
“They (United) keep getting injuries, two changes in the back four or five again in the first half and they can’t keep defenders fit.
“They look shaky on the ball and tonight they lacked counter-attack and any speed. When they were that bad against Arsenal they had a counter-attack through Di Maria. Tonight they didn’t have anything.
“They have got away with murder tonight with that performance to win there. Southampton weren’t very good at all. United are going to have to play better than that.
“Louis van Gaal will watch the video back and think they were so bad in their passing at times – it almost got to the point where you started laughing.
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“It was that bad. It was that frustrating I was laughing. I couldn’t believe the amount of times they gave it away. In the first half the amount of times they passed it back.
“You look at the players and there was £100m quids worth in central midfield and £50m worth up front – we’re talking about massive players. Forget the back, the front part of the pitch…Valencia and Young at wing-back and you have to say they are makeshift wing backs at best.
“Young kids, players playing out of position, Michael Carrick is playing centre-back so you can see why it would be bad at the back and disruptive.
“But in front of that it was so bad in terms of the passing and the accuracy and that will be the shock. Louis van Gaal will be shocked at how bad it was at times. I was shocked.”