'Excuse mentality': Gary Neville responds to Man Utd man after 2-0 win vs Sunderland

Manchester United legend-turned-pundit Gary Neville has reacted to manager Ruben Amorim’s comments prior to the Premier League win over Sunderland last weekend.

The Red Devils returned to winning ways with a 2-0 victory over the Black Cats at Old Trafford. The win has taken United to 10th in the league standings before the international break.

Speaking in his Sky Sports podcast after the game, Neville said that Amorim is ‘not off the hook’ despite beating Sunderland with a resounding performance in front of the faithful.

He added that Amorim has an ‘excuse mentality’ after stating ahead of the game that the criticism of the players through the media is affecting their belief in his 3-4-2-1 system.

Neville said: “If pundits are getting into your head then you shouldn’t be playing for the club.

“Do people not remember Alan Hanson criticising us when we broke in as young kids saying that you can’t win anything with kids.

“That was the greatest centre-back of all time at that moment talking about us as if we were, you know, inferior and nowhere near good enough.

“Did they not think that we got criticised during our football careers. I’m sorry you’re playing for Manchester United – it comes with the territory, you’ve got to step up.

“They’ve been hopeless in the system. If it’s not the system, then the players are a problem, the manager is a problem, the whole thing’s a problem if you’re losing football matches to the level that they’ve been doing.

“I never blamed anybody else when we lost football matches and I played in a dressing room that when you lost football matches you came in and you said sorry.

“There was accountability. Why would you blame other people. I’ve not got any time for excuse mentality shortcuts blaming other people – it’s the worst thing that you can do in life.”

Neville’s latest criticism of Amorim’s system was unwarranted

Amorim has had a tough introduction to English football. The Portuguese tactician has picked up only 20 games in his first 50 games in charge of the Red Devils.

Despite this, the 40-year-old has the complete backing of INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe. He also continues to receive support from the club’s faithful home and away.

Amorim has clearly stated that he won’t change his philosophy, despite the results. Still, there have been unnecessary opinions in recent weeks calling for a change in formation.

Neville has personally criticised Amorim’s system in several podcasts this year, but his latest criticism was unwarranted after the Red Devils picked up a much-needed win at home.

United face arch-rivals Liverpool at Anfield after the international break. A first victory at Anfield since 2016 would be a big statement and silence critics over Amorim’s tactics.

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Article written by Sri Aswin .