MANCHESTER UNITED CAN be expected to offload up to four players this summer and bring as many in, says Gary Neville, with Jose Mourinho set to ditch his troublemakers.
The Red Devils remain on course to secure a runner-up finish in the Premier League, while still competing for FA Cup honours, but the 2017-18 campaign has been another of frustration at Old Trafford.
Inconsistency has blighted United’s season, with those issues seeing them gift the title to arch-rivals Manchester City a week on from delaying a championship party on derby day.
Neville believes the only way to right those wrongs is to rebuild again in the next transfer window, with Mourinho needing to sell those whose questionable attitude is holding the club back.
The former Red Devils defender told Sky Sports in the wake of a shock 1-0 defeat to West Brom which handed the top-flight crown to City: “It was dismal, it was a dismal day.
“I suppose in some ways Manchester United stopped what would be this nightmare scenario last week of City winning the game at the Etihad in front of United’s fans. But it was an appalling performance.
“Jose Mourinho mentioned the words ‘inconsistency’ and ‘attitude’.
“That’s difficult to coach out of people if that’s the problems that are occurring – inconsistency and attitude.
“So he has to identify the issues that he has in that changing room and in that squad that are causing those inconsistencies and lack of attitude in these types of matches and deal with it at the end of the season.
“I think there will be three or four players leaving and the same number coming in.”
Neville added on the challenges facing Mourinho heading into his third season at Old Trafford: “I do agree with him, Manchester United didn’t lose the league [against West Brom], they lost it over a full season and Manchester City have been by far the best team and were always going to win it.
“He’s got to make that gap up and it’s going to be tough. Consistency is about mentality and the players fell well below that considering the last couple of weeks.”
United are already being linked with several high-profile additions ahead of what is shaping up to be a busy, and potentially era-defining transfer window at Old Trafford.
Interesting and hopeful. Thanks.
I missed the game and just watched it back. After listening to OTB and reading the 42 I was very excited to watch it. I have to say I was underwhelmed. We were decent and it is promising for the future but to hear that it was the most exciting performance since 2002!!! Also the time should have been added, it was a pen and Ronaldo shouldn’t have been sent off. I did think the connelly one was a pen though.
@James Murphy: name a more exiting performance we’ve had against one of the best teams in the world since 2002?
@James Murphy: I didn’t hear many people disputing it wasn’t a penalty for Portugal it was 50/50 not obvious either way that’s why the ref watched it back around 10 times and the extra time in extra time shouldn’t of been allowed we cleared the ball after the 5 mins twice the ref should of undoubtedly blew the whistle… We absolutely deserved a draw but all that aside promising for the future indeed!
@James Murphy: it was very exciting watching it live
@John Kelly: Germany and Italy games under Martin oneil were just as exciting. Look it was good and as I said promising and I would be backing Kenny with a contract. We didn’t deserve a draw unless we got one.
@James Murphy: Well there hasn’t been too many and that’s for sure, not having a go I agree it was promising and Kenny is the man for it I just think it was a really positive performance and think we definitely deserved a draw