Gary Neville claimed just one Manchester United player would get in Tottenham’s team after Ruben Amorim’s side lost to Spurs.
United’s dismal season went from bad to worse on Sunday because the injury-hit Red Devils suffered their twelfth Premier League defeat of the season.
Manchester United named eight uncapped teenagers on the bench after losing several players – including in-form winger Amad Diallo – to injury and illness this week.
But United were up against a Tottenham team who themselves have battled widespread injury issues this season and were still without star defenders Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero.
James Maddison’s first-half goal was enough for Spurs to return to winning ways following successive cup defeats to Liverpool and Aston Villa.
It was one other disappointing afternoon for Manchester United but Neville was not surprised by the final result as he believes just one Old Trafford player – Bruno Fernandes – would get within the Spurs team.
‘We talk in regards to the Manchester United players not being adequate,’ Neville said on Sky Sports after the match.
‘Take Tottenham’s best players, [Pedro] Porro, [Destiny] Udogie, [Micky] Van de Ven, [Cristian] Romero, [Yves] Bissouma, [Pape] Sarr, [James] Maddison, [Dominic] Solanke, [Dejan] Kulusevski, [Heung-min] Son, [Brennan] Johnson, [Mathys] Tel.
‘What number of Manchester United players would get into that Tottenham team if everyone was fit? I feel Bruno Fernandes would, you’d want him in there.
‘Possibly Amad but to be honest if it’s a selection between Kulusevski or Amad, I’d probably go along with Kulusevski.
‘So my point is each Tottenham player barring one is best than each Manchester United player.
‘That’s not being emotional or ranting, it’s just really sad that that’s where Man United are currently at, they haven’t got the players.
‘There’s a whole lot of uncertainly on and off the pitch and hopefully Ruben Amorim is given the time to rebuild over the subsequent two years but each Tottenham player gets into the Man United team – probably apart from Bruno – and that’s an issue.’
Manchester United defender Matthijs de Ligt refused responsible the club’s sudden injury crisis on the Spurs defeat and admitted the Red Devils ‘lacked’ hunger in the ultimate third.
Amorim expects Amad to be out for the remaining of the season after picking up a serious ankle injury in training, while Kobbie Mainoo, Lisandro Martinez, Leny Yoro, Manuel Ugarte, Mason Mount, Christian Eriksen and Luke Shaw are all currently sidelined.
‘If you happen to lose it’s never enough,’ De Ligt told Sky Sports. ‘We are able to speak in regards to the personal problems, the injuries, but Tottenham have the identical problems. If you happen to lose, it is rarely enough.
‘We played OK and created some probabilities. But if you happen to lose 1-0, you didn’t rating and conceded one, so we wanted to enhance at each ends.
‘I feel the urgency, the hunger to attain, that’s something which may be lacking. That’s not only on the attackers, it’s also on the midfield and the defenders. It’s a team thing and we definitely need to enhance.
‘I feel you possibly can say [confidence] has taken an actual hit. Especially within the Premier League, if you happen to lose the arrogance you lose the sport.
‘We still had a starting XI with first-team players. It’s no excuse. It’s not nice whenever you lose five players in a single week, but that’s a part of football, a part of life.
‘I imagine you’ve gotten to deserve fortune. In the mean time, apparently we don’t deserve it. I don’t imagine in fortune coming out of nowhere.’
Manchester United will likely be eager to respond next weekend after they face rejuvenated Everton at Goodison Park, while Tottenham will look to construct on this momentum against struggling Ipswich Town.
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