Gary Neville has delivered a damning verdict on Manchester United’s squad following their latest defeat, stating that only Bruno Fernandes would make Tottenham’s starting XI.
United’s troubled season took another hit on Sunday as Ruben Amorim’s injury-ravaged squad suffered their 12th Premier League loss of the campaign.
Despite naming eight uncapped teenagers on the bench due to an injury crisis including the absence of in-form Amad Diallo United failed to capitalize on a similarly depleted Spurs squad that was missing key defenders Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero.
James Maddison’s first-half strike secured a much-needed win for Tottenham, who bounced back from cup defeats against Liverpool and Aston Villa.
However, for United, the defeat only reinforced their ongoing struggles.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Neville assessed the current state of United’s squad and bluntly stated that only Fernandes would be good enough to break into Tottenham’s first team.
“When you look at the Manchester United squad, you realize how far they have fallen,” Neville said. “Even with Spurs missing key players like Van de Ven, Romero, and Bissouma, they were still the better team.
“If you were to put together a combined XI with both teams at full strength, I think only Bruno Fernandes makes the cut.
Maybe Amad could push for a spot, but if it’s a choice between him and Dejan Kulusevski, I’d probably pick Kulusevski.
“That means every single Tottenham player, apart from one, would be ahead of their United counterparts. That’s not me being emotional or ranting it’s just where United are right now, and it’s really sad to see.”
Neville also acknowledged that United’s ongoing instability, both on and off the pitch, has contributed to their struggles, calling for Amorim to be given time to rebuild.
Meanwhile, United defender Matthijs de Ligt refused to use the injury crisis as an excuse for the defeat, admitting that the team lacked hunger in the attacking third.
“You can talk about injuries, but Tottenham had similar issues,” De Ligt told Sky Sports. “We created chances but didn’t score. If you don’t take your opportunities and concede a goal, you lose—it’s that simple.
“There was a lack of urgency, a lack of hunger to score. That’s not just on the forwards—it’s the midfield, the defense, the whole team. We need to improve.
“We’ve lost confidence, and in the Premier League, if you don’t believe in yourself, you lose games. We still had a starting XI full of first-team players, so there’s no excuse. Losing five players in a week is tough, but that’s football.”
United’s problems have been worsened by the loss of key players, including Amad Diallo, who is expected to miss the rest of the season with an ankle injury.
Other sidelined stars include Kobbie Mainoo, Lisandro Martinez, Leny Yoro, Manuel Ugarte, Mason Mount, Christian Eriksen, and Luke Shaw.
Looking ahead, United will be desperate to bounce back when they face a resurgent Everton at Goodison Park next weekend. Meanwhile, Tottenham will aim to build on their victory when they take on struggling Ipswich Town.