Neville hits out at ‘soft’ Man Utd star and team-mate who ‘didn’t do enough’ to stop Man City

Gary Neville

Gary Neville hit out at a couple of Manchester United players over their involvement in Phil Foden’s equaliser for Manchester City on Sunday.

Erik ten Hag’s side faced the tough task of facing Man City at the Etihad on Sunday afternoon but Marcus Rashford‘s stunning long-range strike fired them into a shock early lead.

This did not deter Pep Guardiola’s team too much, though. The hosts dominated the rest of the game and a brace from Phil Foden turned the derby around before Erling Haaland netted their third late on.

In the build-up to Foden’s equaliser for City, Rashford was leading a Man Utd attack but he went to the ground following minimal contact from fellow England international Kyle Walker.

After Foden found the net and Rashford failed to track back, the Man Utd forward complained to referee Andy Madley but it was ruled that the official was right to allow the goal.

When asked about the incident after the game, Ten Hag said: “Let’s say this, it is very debatable. I think there was contact and a defining moment in the game.

“There was also (just before it became) 2-1, a reckless action of the goalkeeper of City (Ederson), then in the counter-attack they scored, 2-1.

“It (Walker on Rashford) was soft, but you know when you are in a full sprint and you get a little touch, you lose the rhythm and that is why he went down.”

Neville thinks it was “soft” from Rashford, while defender Victor Lindelof “didn’t do enough” to stop Foden.

“It’s soft from Marcus Rashford,” Neville said on Sky Sports.

“He needs to stand up. He didn’t need to go down at all, he thought the referee would fall for it but it’s minimal contact.”

Regarding fill-in left-back Lindelof, he added: “We’ve seen two special goals and that end of the pitch.

“Manchester United are asking for a foul on Rashford. Lindelof doesn’t do enough.

“He allows Foden to come inside but he doesn’t expect him to ram it into the top corner.”

Michael Owen meanwhile thinks Rashford may have been able to prevent Foden’s goal if he was not “lying on the ground for a minute”.

“I thought it was correct nothing was given,” Owen said via Optus Sport. “I don’t know why Marcus Rashford was trying to run across his man to start with, he wasn’t even in control of the ball. Surely you’ve got to control the ball first and the cut across your man.

“I felt it was called spot on. And, actually, he would have been back in this position (defending for the Foden goal) to potentially cut that ball out.

“He’s been lying on the ground for a minute or so. If he was back in, his position should be there, if he wasn’t lying on the floor prior to that. So he might have been able to prevent that goal.”