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Unfit Lukaku presenting United with a big decision on his future, says Neville

The former defender has questioned the Belgian striker’s training regime and believes further questions will be asked this summer.

ROMELU LUKAKU HAS been accused of looking unfit, with Gary Neville claiming that Manchester United face a “big decision” on the striker’s future this summer.

The Belgium international led the line for United in their most recent Premier League outing against Chelsea.

Lukaku played the full 90 minutes against his former club, with strike partner Marcus Rashford forced off with an untimely injury in the second half.

He put in a typically battling performance and caught the eye with his physicality and ability to hold up the ball, but did appear to tire easily amid questions of his training regime and ongoing presence at Old Trafford.

Former United defender Neville told Sky Sports of the burly 25-year-old: “Lukaku is the most interesting for me.

“You watch him for 25 minutes and he looks like a world beater. Then you see him make one big run and he looks absolutely shot. 

“He was a brilliant performer, then you say to yourself he always looks tired after one or two big runs.

He’s a big decision. I’ve got very little sympathy for anyone who’s unfit as a professional footballer.

Neville believes it is up to Lukaku, not United’s backroom staff, to ensure that he is in the best possible condition.

He added: “Football players, they’re like a clock ticking — they should know their bodies inside out.

You get to that point as a football player, there’s a routine. I’m not sure how he hasn’t corrected it and found a system during the week which is his training, his nutrition.

“It’s not a reflection against the sport science of the club, it’s something that’s not quite right.”

Lukaku is close to completing a second season with United following a £75 million transfer in the summer of 2017.

He recorded 27 goals in his debut campaign, but has managed only 15 this term.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has not always found a starting berth for the Belgian, but has favoured him over recent weeks while seeking an attacking spark to fire the Red Devils into the top four.

Such a finish now appears to be beyond United, with a 1-1 draw at home to Chelsea keeping them stuck in sixth spot.

- Omni

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    Mute Paul Mallon
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    Mar 21st 2023, 10:02 AM

    Eddie’s just disappointed his profits are taking a hit.

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    Mute Brian Dunne
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    Mar 21st 2023, 10:22 AM

    @Paul Mallon: he is a business man in all fairness.

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    Mute P M
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    Mar 21st 2023, 10:46 AM

    Weird that music promotors seem to make plenty of money all the time in Croker, Hearn just chancing his arm looking to make more money. Ringside tickets will cost a few hundred minimum so he would stand to make more than any music concert plus he would be able to have Hill 16 open which you wouldn’t get at a gig.

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    Mute Tom Quinlan
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    Mar 21st 2023, 9:45 AM

    Because the GAA are trying to milk it. Hearn can’t milk it. As he says himself that’s business

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    Mute Niall Stone
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    Mar 21st 2023, 10:13 AM

    So it’s gone from twice as expensive to three times as expensive. Negotiations are going well.
    So we have CP at a risky 80K and his option at 8K. Has he looked outside of these options, that’s all we have here 8K or 80K. What about 50K at the Aviva? 45K at Pairc Ui Chaoimh.
    There are more options in Ireland between 8 and 80K capacity.

    I think this man just wants PPV, and or to get KT a fight, any fight at home. I don’t imagine it’s what she really imagined or deserved but it looks like he’d rather blame CP than list some other options.

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    Mute baz dunne
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    Mar 21st 2023, 12:24 PM

    @Niall Stone: Aviva will be hosting the Heineken cup final that evening so that’s a non starter.

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    Mute Niall Stone
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    Mar 22nd 2023, 2:20 AM

    @baz dunne: Point is there must be other options. He switched a fighter, switch the date

    As he says it is a risk as it’s a less attractive fight now. Would this fight attract 80K? His second fight option would be less likely to attract a full house and he knows it, cold feet.

    Steve Collins got good crowds in Cork, or select a different night.

    In my opinion, he wants to go for safe PPV money, minimally meet KTs desire to fight in Ireland, hold the Amanda Serrano fight somewhere else all the while blaming the GAA. He could do more, be proactive rather than keep churning out the same sad story about CP.
    He’s like a guy arguing with a bouncer to get into a nightclub, move on, go somewhere else.

    8K tickets for KTs home match is underwhelming. She deserves more, he’s her agent not the GAA.

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    Mute baz dunne
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    Mar 21st 2023, 9:36 AM

    No doubt he’s right, The grab all association were always going to try and milk this for all its worth and more.

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    Mute Gerry Campbell
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    Mar 21st 2023, 10:55 AM

    @baz dunne: Ah here,I’m not beyond having a go at the GAA,but Eddie Hearne,please…The GAA were dead right and its up the price should go,bye Eddie don’t let the door hit you in the Arse.

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    Mute baz dunne
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    Mar 21st 2023, 12:22 PM

    @Gerry Campbell: In fairness you’re not wrong. There’s the pair of them in it.

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    Mute mcr
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    Mar 21st 2023, 2:14 PM

    @baz dunne: was wondering how long before some anti gaa gobdaw would come up with the ‘grab all association’ line… When has no knowledge of numbers involved. All we need now is a brilliant original Father Ted line…

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    Mute Lad
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    Mar 21st 2023, 4:06 PM

    @baz dunne: he didn’t say the pair of them were at it..

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    Mute Zim Zimma
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    Mar 21st 2023, 10:21 AM

    As much as I don’t like Hearn I have no doubt he’s telling the truth. As my Granda used to say and the older I’ve got the more I’ve seen the truth in it in politics, institutions and pretty much every facet of life, he said, Ireland will never get anywhere, because it is a nation run by gombeen men, they’d sell their own mothers if you offered them the right price, but if you were dying of thirst they wouldn’t give you a drop of water unless there was something in it for them.

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    Mute Joe Kennedy
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    Mar 21st 2023, 8:08 PM

    @Zim Zimma: we see what we want to see. Try looking at things more positively than your Granda did, and you might see things differently!

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    Mute John Geary
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    Mar 21st 2023, 11:27 AM

    Tell Eddie, we saw how Wembley operated during the Euro’s final a couple of years back. Absolute chaos with the level of security & policing they put on. I wouldn’t be using them as a good example.. He’s also looking to schedule same wkend as the European rugby final in the Aviva. Just go for a night in August or Sept when nothings clashing with it.

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    Mute Mark Sheehan
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    Mar 21st 2023, 12:26 PM

    @John Geary: if fans want to behave as they did last summer at Wembley or Lansdowne Rd years ago no amount of security or policing will suffice. Also much the scheduling of bouts is determined by training regimes.

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    Mute Jim Moran
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    Mar 21st 2023, 11:49 AM

    The only lad to complain about the cost of holding an event in Croke Park. It sure is a bad taste he has left.

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    Mute Robert Frazier
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    Mar 21st 2023, 10:22 AM

    How much are gardai getting paid?

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    Mute Kev Coburn
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    Mar 21st 2023, 6:30 PM

    To be fair to him, it costs an absolute fortune to insure and police big-time Boxing events in Ireland. The amount of rival criminal gang members that would invariably show up would increase the likelihood of a Regency shooting style incident occurring. Despite their willingness to push other events through, and the high esteem in which Katie Taylor is held, I cannot see the Irish government wanting anything to do with assisting something that could potentially be associated with such negative publicity. Regular, large scale, professional Boxing events, on these shores, are a thing of the past. With or without star drawing power.

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