Gary Neville digs out Man Utd duo over attitude vs Chelsea – 'It's really disappointing'

Manchester United yet again failed to impress as high-flying Chelsea visited Old Trafford, and former captain Gary Neville believes two first-team stars must be called out after Sunday's 1-1 draw

Gary Neville has called out Manchester United stars Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho for their gutless work ethic against Chelsea.

With Ruben Amorim's arrival as United's new head coach on the horizon, the reins at Old Trafford have been gifted to Ruud van Nistelrooy in the interim. The Dutchman faced a tough visit from Chelsea on Sunday after tasting Carabao Cup success against Leicester on Wednesday.

The clash was cagey, with neither side particularly impressing – and the result mirrored this. When Rasmus Hojlund was brought down in the box by Blues goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, captain Bruno Fernandes converted to break the deadlock on 70 minutes, only for Moises Caicedo to equalise with a low volley just four minutes later.

This 1-1 scoreline would last until the final whistle, and former Red Devils skipper Neville – who was on co-commentary for Sky Sports for the match – was far from impressed with the effort from some United players. He specifically singled out Rashford and Garnacho for a lack of attacking edge but, more vitally, a lack of work rate and tracking back.

“I'm not going to dig Rashford and Garnacho out... but I am,' Neville began, speaking about the Chelsea clash on The Gary Neville Podcast. “Because they are two players who have come through the ranks. With that comes some credit: the fact that you're an academy player and you get a level of buy-in from the fans because of that.

“So, there's an enthusiasm towards them. Obviously now Rashford's been in the team for a good few years and Garnacho for a couple of years or so.

“But, when I watch [Bukayo] Saka and [Leandro] Trossard and [Gabriel] Martinelli [playing for Arsenal ], and when I watch Bernardo Silva and [Phil] Foden for Man City, or I watch players at Liverpool, I watch them all scurrying back, harassing back and doubling up with real intent.

“But I've watched [Malo] Gusto run forward on that far side... we couldn't believe how much space he got [in the game against Chelsea]. The first ethic is that you have to work hard. I'm not saying that Garnacho and Rashford do not work hard, but they can work harder. I know that. That's in their defensive work - which then, I think, gives you the reward in your attacking play.”

Despite registering six shots between them, neither Rashford nor Garnacho managed to make a single interception or tackle during the fixture, perhaps underlining Neville’s point.

“I played with the likes of Andrei Kanchelskis, David Beckham and Ryan Giggs on the other side for most of the time that I was at United,” Neville continued. “And the work that they put in off the ball meant that the rewards came for the team on the ball.

“They have no idea how to press. I think they need coaching again, almost as if they need to restart and be coached again, this group of players, because they don't look like they've ever met each other.

“It's really disappointing. Player after player has come to United for 10 years - and managers - and they've been unable to unlock the door that is just a level of performance.”

Incoming boss Amorim will arrive at Old Trafford on November 11, and the hope is that some of these issues will be solved quickly and that the players will be revitalised with a fresh, new tactical approach off the back of Erik ten Hag's sacking.

Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

Watch the Premier League

Watch all the action of the 2023/2024 Premier League season
Get Sky Sports for £22 a month

The new football season is upon us and with 500 live games to watch, as well access to Cricket, Golf, F1, Boxing, NFL and the NBA across eight dedicated channels, Sky Sports is the only way to watch all the action.

Sky
Get it here