Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville’s move into the media after his retirement from the game has thrust him into the public spotlight in a significant way over the past decade. Neville’s quick wit and ability to describe the game to viewers earned him rave reviews in his early days on various television channels, making him one of the most coveted pundits in the game.

However, in recent years, Manchester United fans have grown frustrated with the eight-time Premier League winner who, in his attempts to show neutrality, tends to go too far with his criticism of the team he claims to hold so dearly to his heart.

Neville opens up on fan backlash

An absolute cult hero in his playing days, Neville was adored by the Old Trafford faithful, with his passion for the badge evident every time he pulled on the red shirt. However, since the transition from player to pundit, the former defender has tested United fans’ patience with comments during and after matches, something he discussed with former teammate Rio Ferdinand in a recent interview.

As reported by The Mirror, Ferdinand said he was asked by fans to quiz Neville on the issue of unfair criticism toward United on his Rio Ferdinand Presents Podcast, to which Neville gave a robust response but admitted to finding the balance tough.

“It’s a balance though Rio, isn’t it? It’s like, do I want City to win the league? I absolutely don’t want City anywhere near the league title. I’ll say it on here now. I don’t want City or Liverpool to ever win a game of football again. I genuinely don’t. But do you know something, to be a professional and do the very best, sometimes I maybe don’t get the balance right with United,” said Neville.

The former England international added that he finds United games the “hardest to do” in his role in the media and says he would have no issue with stepping back from certain games if Sky felt it was appropriate for him to do so.

People might think that I’m more critical of United when they don’t play well. Sometimes, over the last maybe ten years, the balance, maybe I’ve not got it right. If they said ‘to me don’t cover United games for Sky, let me just sit in the stand and watch them.’ I’d say yeah, all day long but I still do the games. It’s difficult,” he said.

Time for change?

Neville has also faced backlash from supporters for political comments he has made in recent times, all of which seem to be playing a role in some turning their backs on the man who represented United over 600 times.

Whilst Neville says he would not mind not featuring on United games, there is little to no chance of Sky making that a reality given his profile on the media circuit.

United fans will have to wait and see if their former hero will go a little easier on Michael Carrick’s men next season, with the new campaign promising to find out exactly what the newly appointed permanent head coach is made of.

In Neville’s defence, there has been much to malign with how United have gone about their business both on and off the pitch in the last decade, but there is no doubt the 51-year-old could be a lot more encouraging to certain players and coaches who have struggled to produce under the pressure of the Theatre of Dreams that he should know so well.

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Ruben Amorim may be in line for an explosive return to England after Fulham added the 41-year-old tactician to their list of candidates to replace Marco Silva, according to a new report.

Bleak Midwinter

Despite 14 months of steadfast support in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, INEOS finally brought an end to Amorim’s tumultuous tenure in January after a poor run of form over Christmas. However, it was not performances on the pitch that decided his fate; instead, a major fallout with sporting director Jason Wilcox over the much-maligned 3-4-2-1 system proved to be the straw that broke the prickly Portuguese’s back.

The decision was announced on January 5, the day after the 1-1 draw with Leeds United at Elland Road, where Amorim took aim at the executive structure in a bombastic post-match press conference. Under-18s coach Darren Fletcher took temporary charge of the senior side, before Michael Carrick marked a triumphant return to Old Trafford as interim coach until the end of the season.

The impressive transformation the 44-year-old Englishman has overseen over the past five months convinced INEOS to hand him the reins permanently, with United securing Champions League qualification and boasting the best form of any Premier League side under his watch.

The nightmare of Amorim’s reign of terror is now a distant memory; this is a stark contrast to the sense of calm Carrick has imbued throughout the club, both on and off the pitch.

The former Sporting CP manager’s legacy remains a pitiful win record of 38.1%, having overseen United’s worst campaign in Premier League history, which was capped off by a dismal loss in the Europa League final to a team who had never won a European trophy before.

Ruben Amorim Managerial Stats

A Return to England

Despite this unflattering record, TEAMtalk reveals Amorim is under “serious consideration” at Craven Cottage. Silva, Fulham’s long-standing coach, has left west London to take charge of SL Benfica, as the Portuguese giant was left managerless in the wake of Jose Mourinho’s blockbuster return to Real Madrid.

Interestingly, Amorim has been a contender to take over at Benfica, even though they are Sporting’s local rivals. However, he is understood to be focused on jobs outside of Portugal if he returns to management.

Two other coaches to face the ignominy of dismissals from England’s elite this year, Thomas Frank (Tottenham Hotspur) and Arne Slot (Liverpool), are also options alongside Amorim on the Cottagers’ list.

“All three are admired internally and are viewed as coaches capable of building on the foundations Silva leaves behind. Fulham are expected to hold discussions over the coming days as they look to establish which candidates could be realistically persuaded to take over in west London,” the report states.

Keiran McKenna, United’s former assistant coach, now in charge of Ipswich Town, and Frank Lampard, fresh from winning the Championship with Coventry City, are also under consideration. But TEAMtalk stresses Amorim is “firmly on Fulham’s radar”, showing that failure at Old Trafford does not necessarily lead to someone’s reputation in football being permanently scarred.

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Manchester United legend David Beckham has transformed Inter Miami into one of the world’s most talked-about clubs with a series of high-profile acquisitions.

Over the last few years, Beckham has convinced global icon Lionel Messi and his former Barcelona teammates Luis Suárez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba to join his project in America.

It has been widely reported that Inter Miami are also closing in on the signature of Casemiro, who is departing United this summer. However, Beckham has even more ambitious plans.

Manchester United legend wants to link up with Pep Guardiola

Pep Guardiola is another high-profile figure who has decided to leave Manchester this summer, having bid farewell to Manchester City after a decade-long stint.

According to SportsBoom, Inter Miami are looking to persuade Pep Guardiola to take over at the helm, despite the Spaniard’s desire to take a sabbatical before returning to the dugout.

His preference is thought to be managing England, Spain, or possibly even the United States.

However, Guardiola’s representatives expect to receive numerous approaches this summer from clubs.

David Beckham is among the club owners keen to test Guardiola’s resolve following Javier Mascherano’s decision to resign from the managerial position at the Major League Soccer giants. 

It is understood Beckham wants to make a “name” appointment to maintain Miami’s marketing appeal, and there is hope that Guardiola’s love for America might persuade him to think twice.

Pep Guardiola receives message from Sir Alex Ferguson

Despite his ties to the noisy neighbours, Guardiola is also highly admired by United great Sir Alex Ferguson.

Speaking ahead of his final home game against Aston Villa, the Spanish tactician revealed that he received a message from Sir Alex, who congratulated him for his achievements at City.

Pep said, “I know I had incredible success as a manager and it’s nice to be there. One of the biggest compliments I had was I got a message from Sir Alex Ferguson yesterday and that made me so happy.”

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Champions League disappointment

Having already secured the Premier League trophy, Arsenal were determined to make history by winning their first Champions League and completing a legendary double.

Standing in their path were PSG. But Arsenal were in dreamland after just five minutes, as Kai Havertz produced a fabulous finish to put them ahead.

But rather than pile on the pressure, the Gunners retreated into a low block, which has been the defining feature of their season, aiming to frustrate the Parisians. PSG struggled to find a way through until the second half, when Ousmane Dembele scored from the penalty spot following Mosquera’s foul on Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

PSG continued to probe for a weakness in the Arsenal defence, yet after extra time failed to produce a winner, a penalty shootout was needed to settle the showpiece occasion in Budapest.

Eberechi Eze and Gabriel Magalhães each failed to score from the penalty spot, handing PSG their second consecutive Champions League trophy.

According to French news outlet L’Equipe, Sir Alex sent a congratulatory message to PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaïfi.

Sir Alex, who shared a heated rivalry with Arsenal counterpart Arsène Wenger during their time in the dugout, delivered a scathing verdict on Arsenal’s style of play.

Sir Alex’s dig

L’Equipe report that Sir Alex sent the following message to Al-Khelaïfi: “Nasser, this is Alex Ferguson.”

“Well done, it was a tough night for you, but you played against a boring team that did nothing but defend.”

“Enjoy your holidays, you deserve it.”

Meanwhile, United’s attention now turns to the summer transfer window, which opens on 15 June.

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Manchester United have made a welcome return to Champions League football.

Lack of involvement

The last time the Red Devils reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League was in 2019, when they were soundly defeated 4-0 by FC Barcelona over two legs.

United have reached the final of the Europa League twice in that period, in 2021 and 2025, but lost the respective finals to Villarreal and Tottenham Hotspur.

However, their involvement in the Champions League has been irregular, as they were knocked out in the last 16 in 2022 by Atletico Madrid and at the group stage in 2023.

Thankfully, they will have the chance to put an end to years of irrelevance in the Champions League next season after finishing third in the Premier League behind Arsenal and Manchester City.

Pot 2

This will be the first time the Red Devils compete in the new league phase and extended format, where each team plays eight games against two teams from each of the four pots.

United do have experience of this format in the 2024-2025 Europa League, but not in the Champions League.

The Daily Mail reports that, “clubs will be required to play two matches – one home and one away – against teams from each of the four pots.”

Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool will all be in pot one, with other English sides Aston Villa and United joining in pot two.

United have also fallen behind Villa in recent years in the European ranking, owing to Villa’s Europa League win this year and their run to the quarter-finals of the Champions League in 2025.

The Red Devils are “set to be joined in pot 2 by Borussia Dortmund, Roma, Sporting Clube de Portugal, Porto, Club Brugge, Real Betis and PSV Eindhoven.”

Twenty-nine of the teams have been confirmed for next season’s format, with seven still needing to qualify during the summer’s qualification process.

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Stunning campaign

United enjoyed a wonderful 2025/26 season, the catalyst for which was Michael Carrick’s appointment as Ruben Amorim’s replacement at the start of the year.

Far from finding stability under Amorim, United were a study in inconsistency, dogged by problems both on and off the pitch. But Carrick steadied the ship and embarked on a brilliant run that secured Champions League football and a third-placed finish for the Red Devils.

Sunday’s 3-0 demolition of Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium took Carrick’s record to 12 wins, three draws, and just two losses from 17 games.

Carrick was confirmed as permanent head coach last week. United, however, had consistently stressed they would not make a knee-jerk decision, vowing to explore all suitable and available options before naming anyone to the role.

But Carrick’s outstanding results and performance made it nearly impossible to overlook him. Speaking to MUTV after the final whistle at Brighton, the legendary midfielder was hugely optimistic about the club’s future prospects.

Astonishing stat

There is even more reason to be hopeful, if a stat by Opta is anything to go by.

Per the data analysts, United head a top-five mini-league of the Premier League’s strongest teams this term.

Opta analysed the head-to-head matches between the leading five clubs and United came out on top of this mini-table, having won five of their eight games.

Unai Emery’s Aston Villa ran in second spot, followed by cross-town rivals Manchester City. Title-winners Arsenal are only fourth and Liverpool at the bottom.

This is the table based on Premier League results between the top five teams in 2025-26. pic.twitter.com/B5GBFCEi2r

— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) May 24, 2026

With memorable victories over City, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Villa, Carrick’s sensational run proves one thing: United can beat anyone.

Hopefully, with a strong summer window and more signings, United can kick on and mount a title charge next season.

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Pep to leave

On Friday, City confirmed that Guardiola will step down as manager of the side this summer.

The Spaniard joined United’s cross-town rivals in July 2016 and has enjoyed a successful 10-year spell at the club, winning 20 major trophies at the time.

In contrast, Sir Alex’s 26-year tenure at United, which began before the Premier League’s inception in 1992/93, delivered 28 major honours, including 13 Premier League titles and two Champions League triumphs.

For two decades, Sir Alex stood as the dominant force in football, constructing a succession of exceptional sides, many of which were built upon a foundation of home-grown talent.

Sir Alex’s Premier League title rate stands at 61.9%, having won 13 championships across 21 seasons. Guardiola, by contrast, has secured six titles in 10 seasons, leaving the 55-year-old with a rate of 60%.

Guardiola’s tenure at City has often been likened to Sir Alex’s United sides. Notably, while at the helm of Barcelona, Guardiola overcame Ferguson’s United in two Champions League finals.

Speaking ahead of his final home game against Aston Villa, Guardiola informed reporters that he received a message from Sir Alex.

Pep reveals classy Sir Alex act

Pep said, “I know I had incredible success as a manager and it’s nice to be there. One of the biggest compliments I had was I got a message from Sir Alex Ferguson yesterday and that made me so happy.”

Elaborating on the nature of the message, Guardiola added, “He congratulated me for the trajectory and for what we achieved. It means a lot to me.”

“It’s the kind of recognition that can’t be manufactured, and coming from Ferguson, it carries a weight that no trophy or statistic can replicate.”

United are next in action on Sunday when they go away to Brighton & Hove Albion in their final game of the 2025/26 Premier League season.

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Controversy

United secured third place as they got the better of Forest in a rollercoaster game at Old Trafford.

Luke Shaw opened the scoring inside five minutes with a well-taken finish. Morato drew Forest level just before the break, heading home a sublime delivery from Elliot Anderson.

But United responded almost immediately through Cunha, who expertly tucked the ball into the bottom corner after Bryan Mbeumo’s blocked shot fell kindly into his path. It appeared as if the ball had struck Mbeumo on the arm in the build-up to the goal.

Referee Michael Salisbury decided to overrule VAR, having been sent to the pitch-side monitor to review the incident.

United doubled their advantage in the 75th minute when Mbeumo turned in a cross from Bruno Fernandes. The assist marked Fernandes’ 20th this season, which places him on par with Kevin De Bruyne and Thierry Henry for the all-time Premier League record.

Morgan Gibbs-White grabbed a second for Forest but United were well worth the three points on home grounds.

The Premier League, via their Match Centre account on X, explained the decision to award the goal by saying the handball was accidental.

But PGMO have reportedly told both Forest and United that the goal should have been ruled out.

PGMO’s admission

Sky Sports reveal, “PGMO chief refereeing officer Howard Webb spoke to Forest and Man Utd on Monday to acknowledge the misjudgement.”

“The PGMO regularly engages with clubs to maintain positive dialogue around refereeing matters. English football tends to operate a more lenient approach to the handball rule after feedback from clubs, players, managers and fans.”

“However, the decision expected was to deem Mbeumo’s contact as handball, hence the acknowledgement by the PGMO.”

Meanwhile, Michael Carrick and his players are next in action on Sunday when they go away to Brighton & Hove Albion in their final game of the 2025/26 season.

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Woodgate was brought in as part of interim head coach Michael Carrick’s backroom staff and, since this new look team arrived, the club have enjoyed a series of impressive results and performances to match.

With only two games left as a Red Devil, Casemiro has broken down everything he loves about the club and gone into detail on what makes Woodgate such a great coach.

An epic swan song

Ever since it was announced that Casemiro would be leaving the club at the end of the season, the Brazilian central midfielder has elevated his game to another level.

Not only is he producing commanding performances in the centre of the pitch, but he has become an almost unstoppable force in the air, scoring an unbelievable eight headed goals this season.

Chants of ‘one more year’ are sure to ring around Old Trafford when he plays his final home game for the club against Nottingham Forest on Saturday and, though he has confirmed he won’t be extending his stay, the legendary midfielder can leave with his head held high, having proven himself to be a warrior and a leader.

Carrick’s backroom staff

Questions were raised when Carrick announced his backroom staff back in January. While Steve Holland was seen as a shrewd addition with top-level experience, fans and pundits alike weren’t sure if Woodgate, Jonny Evans and Travis Binnion had the understanding and tactical nous required for such a role.

However, a string of excellent performances soon put an end to that line of thinking as the team oversaw remarkable victories against Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool to name just a few.

With United preparing to open talks with Carrick about extending his stay at the club, it seems safe to assume the former England international’s backroom staff will also retain their positions to help guide the club back towards the summit of the Premier League.

Casemiro’s praise

Casemiro sat down with former Red Devil Rio Ferdinand to discuss everything from the most complete player he’s ever played with to his thoughts on Kobbie Mainoo. During their chat, Ferdinand asked about the backroom staff working with Carrick and Casemiro was quick to single Woodgate out.

“Johnny, Jonathan, yeah, I know, I know, he plays in Madrid,” He said. “He’s a funny guy. He speaks Spanish. A good feeling with him. So, Charlie [Owen], your proper physique [he is the first-team lead physical performance coach].

“So, he’s [Woodgate] very good. He’s very intelligent. But for me, the best thing, he knows the club. He understands the club.”

The Brazilian then went into detail about Woodgate’s influence on the dressing room before our recent game against fierce rivals Leeds United.

“I remember we played against Leeds and your meeting is about the history of this game,” he said. “The history of this game. And I know, because the people who speak are me, but not everyone knows that Leeds is the best.

“Yeah, yeah [they are big rivals]. I remember them. Sorry about my English, but [do] you remember the flight? The Munich. And in this week, he speaks about this, ‘Hey, guys, and this week is very important for the club.’

“He knows what the club is. Yeah, it’s because you see the meeting, he knows where to be. He knows. It’s for me, it’s very important for this.”

Clearly, the former Real Madrid defender has made a big impression on the squad in his short time here so far, and that can only be a good thing moving forwards.

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Sesko bundled home after Freddie Woodman deflected Bruno Fernandes‘ headed pass – though he was not awarded the assist – onto his body, knocking the ball into the net without knowing much about it.

A VAR review took place at the time, checking to see whether the ball touched Sesko’s hand on the way in, but, much to the frustration of Liverpool fans, the goal was eventually allowed to stand. Now, however, an official explanation has been provided as to why the goal stood, given by the chief refereeing officer, Howard Webb.

A key fixture

The fierce local derby is always a key fixture for fans of both clubs, but on this occasion there was far more at stake than just bragging rights. The match was vital in the race for the Champions League places, with Kobbie Mainoo’s emphatic strike securing a return to the elite competition for United.

The Red Devils got off to the perfect start in the game, finding themselves 2-0 up early in the first half thanks to Matheus Cunha’s deflected strike and Sesko’s tap-in. Unfortunately, United did not come out for the second half with the same intensity they displayed in the first and soon found themselves drawing the game, thanks to goals from Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo.

However, Mainoo had the final word and celebrated his new contract with a match-winning strike, leaving Liverpool fans to seethe over Sesko’s goal that they felt certain should have been disallowed.

No clear evidence

Webb appeared on the latest instalment of Match Officials Mic’d Up to discuss a series of controversial decisions made over the last few weeks. Among these was the decision to allow Sesko’s goal against Liverpool.

“The clip speaks for itself. I think it probably does hit the hand,” said Webb. “But of course, the VAR need that conclusivity. They need to be absolutely certain that it does.”

“It doesn’t matter what we think, it’s what they think. We do ask them to be sure that something needs acting on.”

“Certainly Sesko doesn’t deliberately handle this, he doesn’t make himself big. It’s all very natural. But of course, the laws of the game require any goal that comes off the hand from the player who scores immediately, the goal needs to be disallowed. That means the VAR has no option but to start looking for that.”

“Sometimes it looks like they’re being too forensic and you hear the VAR looking from various angles. They want to get it right, if it does conclusively come off the arm. But they don’t get to that level of certainty.”

“They probably think it does [come off the hand] as well but they need to be absolutely categorical to get involved. They couldn’t find it. That’s why the on-field decision stood.”

Regardless of whether it was the right decision or not, United fans certainly will not be complaining about yet another victory over their fierce rivals.

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