Red Devils legend had no patience for Ten Hag's free hand with the midfielder Roy Keane also tore into the manager's tactics after the 2-2 draw with TottenhamCHRIS SUTTON: Don't wait! Sir Jim Ratcliffe must fire Erik ten Hag now - It's All Kicking Off
Gary Neville believes that Erik ten Hag must have a firmer hand with Bruno Fernandes and not give him ‘the freedom to go everywhere’ to tighten up Man United’s game.
The Red Devils icon criticised Ten Hag’s apparent handling of the Man United captain, who is one of his manager’s most consistent players in a highly uneven season.
But in Sunday’s 2-2 draw against Tottenham, alongside reserving praise for the Portugal international, Neville called out his inability to stay in position.
‘Any team that is anything at all, you see repeated pass patterns and combinations,’ Gary Neville told his co-hosts on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet.
‘I think about Bruno Fernandes, and I watched him on Sunday, he’s obviously the best player in terms of talent – but he’s everywhere.
Gary Neville has described Bruno Fernandes as being given too much freedom by Erik ten Hag
Midfielder was given right to roam at Old Trafford against Tottenham to the side’s detriment
The Dutch manager’s tactics will come under scrutiny as United welcomes new ownership
Your browser does not support iframes.
‘He must be being told to go and do what he wants. I don’t think Bruno Fernandes is that type of guy.
‘If, for Pep Guardiola, a player plays out of position for a minute or two, he’s on the sideline saying, “Get back into your position”, and I think Ten Hag is giving him the freedom to go everywhere, and actually that means you can never have a combination or a pattern – when you’ve got your main midfield player everywhere on the pitch.
‘It’s almost like 20 years ago, where your number 10 was given licence to play. That’s gone now, you have to fit within a combination and pattern system and attacking shape, and that’s the bit that I think Bruno is told he must be able to go everywhere.
‘I never see Ten Hag going up to him and telling him to get back into position.’
Man United twice squandered their lead against visiting Spurs and had to make do with a solitary point against a significantly weakened Tottenham side due to injuries and a number of Asian Cup and AFCON absentees.
Despite the draw with top-half Premier League opponents being far from the worse case scenario, pressure is likely to grow on Ten Hag in the wake of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s purchase of a 25 per cent stake in the club, which is in the process of being ratified by the league.
The petrochemicals billionaire was in the stands at Old Trafford for the first time since beginning to take control of football operations and the club.
Neville’s co-host and former team-mate Roy Keane questioned the Dutchman’s playing style on the night after another surprise display.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe watched his team from Old Trafford for the first time during 2-2 Spurs draw
‘I think we turn up for games and you watch United and you don’t know what you’re going to get,’ Keane said.
‘When you come watch Man United, it doesn’t mean you’re going to win every week but you’d like to see something that’s going to be more consistent, but this United team, you haven’t got a clue what you’re going to get!’
Keane also stated that he believed teams looked forward to facing the side due to their inconsistency, stressing that there was ‘no fear anymore’ attached to a visit to the Premier League behemoth.
‘I think teams are going to Old Trafford now and enjoy it!’ the former defender added.
Gary Neville was speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet
News Related
-
SYDNEY – World number two Aryna Sabalenka and number four Elena Rybakina will open their 2024 seasons at the Brisbane International warm-up for the Australian Open, organisers said on Tuesday. Former world number one Naomi Osaka was already announced for the WTA 500 event, which is returning in the first ...
See Details:
Sabalenka, Rybakina to open new season in Brisbane
-
MANCHESTER – Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has paid tribute to the “incredible” Terry Venables, hailing his impact at his former club Barcelona in the 1980s. After Venables died on Nov 25 aged 80, a picture emerged on social media showing a young Guardiola gazing up in admiration at the ...
See Details:
Pep Guardiola salutes Terry Venables’ influence at Barcelona
-
LONDON – Furious Wolves boss Gary O’Neil said bad refereeing decisions were hurting his reputation and “people’s livelihoods” after his team were on the wrong end of more VAR controversy in their 3-2 Premier League defeat at Fulham on Monday. Willian scored two penalties – including a stoppage-time winner – ...
See Details:
Wolves boss Gary O'Neil rages against VAR after Fulham defeat
-
SYDNEY – Matildas captain Sam Kerr will miss Australia’s upcoming international friendlies against Canada in Langford and Vancouver because of a foot injury. Striker Kerr will stay in London with her club Chelsea to receive treatment on the injury and has been replaced in the squad by uncapped 20-year-old midfielder ...
See Details:
Australia captain Kerr to miss Canada friendlies
-
SOFIA – The president of the Bulgarian Football Union (BFU), Borislav Mihaylov, under pressure because of the national team’s failure to reach Euro 2024, announced his resignation on Monday after violent demonstrations by fans. “I have tendered my resignation in a spirit of appeasement,” said the 60-year-old, who has been ...
See Details:
Bulgarian football boss Mihaylov quits after fan pressure
-
NEWCASTLE – Newcastle United head into Tuesday’s Champions League clash against Paris Saint-Germain looking to make the most of their momentum after bouncing back to winning ways in the Premier League, manager Eddie Howe said. Newcastle, who thrashed Chelsea 4-1 on Saturday, find themselves in a tricky Group F with ...
See Details:
Howe aims to boost Newcastle's momentum in Paris Saint-Germain clash
-
-
LONDON – Willian’s 94th-minute penalty, his second of the game, earned Fulham a dramatic 3-2 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League on Monday. Alex Iwobi gave Fulham the lead after seven minutes with a delicate finish, turning Antonee Robinson’s cut-back through Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa’s legs from close ...
See Details:
Willian's penalty double earns Fulham 3-2 win over Wolves
-
LONDON – Willian’s 94th-minute penalty, his second of the game, earned Fulham a dramatic 3-2 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League on Monday. Alex Iwobi gave Fulham the lead after seven minutes with a delicate finish, turning Antonee Robinson’s cut-back through Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa’s legs from close ...
See Details:
Ten-man Al-Nassr secure spot in Asian Champions League last 16
-
LONDON – Willian’s 94th-minute penalty, his second of the game, earned Fulham a dramatic 3-2 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League on Monday. Alex Iwobi gave Fulham the lead after seven minutes with a delicate finish, turning Antonee Robinson’s cut-back through Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa’s legs from close ...
See Details:
Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr reach Asian Champions League last 16 with Persepolis draw
-
LONDON – Willian’s 94th-minute penalty, his second of the game, earned Fulham a dramatic 3-2 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League on Monday. Alex Iwobi gave Fulham the lead after seven minutes with a delicate finish, turning Antonee Robinson’s cut-back through Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa’s legs from close ...
See Details:
Spain’s Putellas pulls out of training camp due to knee injury
-
LONDON – Willian’s 94th-minute penalty, his second of the game, earned Fulham a dramatic 3-2 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League on Monday. Alex Iwobi gave Fulham the lead after seven minutes with a delicate finish, turning Antonee Robinson’s cut-back through Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa’s legs from close ...
See Details:
Tiger Woods thinks he can play five to six events in 2024, says report
-
LONDON – Willian’s 94th-minute penalty, his second of the game, earned Fulham a dramatic 3-2 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League on Monday. Alex Iwobi gave Fulham the lead after seven minutes with a delicate finish, turning Antonee Robinson’s cut-back through Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa’s legs from close ...
See Details:
Stadium renamed 'Christine Sinclair Place' for Canada football great's final game
-
LONDON – Willian’s 94th-minute penalty, his second of the game, earned Fulham a dramatic 3-2 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League on Monday. Alex Iwobi gave Fulham the lead after seven minutes with a delicate finish, turning Antonee Robinson’s cut-back through Wolves goalkeeper Jose Sa’s legs from close ...
See Details:
Carlos Fernando Galán aceptó invitación de Gustavo Petro para cambiar transporte de Bogotá
OTHER NEWS
Sports Illustrated Getty Earlier today, a lengthy piece on the web site Futurism began causing a stir among journalists at one of America’s most venerated media institutions. The piece alleged ...
Read more »
Sports Illustrated scrubbed its site of AI-generated content that included bylines and photos for authors that don’t exist, according to a report.The publication — once home to authors like John ...
Read more »
La señal que lleva el balompié criollo a las pantallas del país reveló a los nominados para su premiación de cierre de temporada. ¡Conoce todas las categorías y candidatos aquí! ...
Read more »
De nombreux élus dénoncent l’impact sur les usagers de l’accord entre l’État et Île-de-France Mobilités, alors même que Valérie Pécresse avait assuré ne pas vouloir faire payer le coût des ...
Read more »
Gary O’Neil said ‘maybe tonight has finally turned me against VAR’ after Wolves’ defeat (Zac Goodwin/PA) (PA Wire) Gary O’Neil admitted Wolves’ 3-2 defeat at Fulham may have ‘finally turned ...
Read more »
Nottingham Forest’s City Ground (Tim Goode/PA). (PA Archive) Nottingham Forest are working with the police to identify fans who are believed to have directed homophobic abuse at Brighton players and ...
Read more »
Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Gary O’Neil appeals during the Premier League match at Craven Cottage (Zac Goodwin/PA) (PA Wire) Gary O’Neil asked “what is the point in VAR?” after his Wolves ...
Read more »