Gary Neville didn’t hold back in his criticism of Ruben Amorim’s tactics during Manchester United’s clash with Tottenham, ridiculing the way the midfield was set up in Sunday’s Premier League encounter.
United traveled to north London with both sides struggling through tough seasons, their squads depleted by injuries and illness. But for Neville, it wasn’t the personnel choices that were the issue it was the instructions given to the players.
The former United captain was baffled by how far apart midfield duo Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro were positioned.
Fernandes frequently drifted out to the right wing, leaving Casemiro alone in central midfield, tasked with covering a vast amount of space. Unsurprisingly, the Brazilian found it difficult to manage.
Neville was scathing in his assessment, calling the setup “absolute madness” and suggesting that even junior teams wouldn’t be deployed in such a manner.
“The distance between the two central midfield players look at where Casemiro is and where Bruno Fernandes is—that cannot be right,” Neville fumed on Sky Sports commentary. “It breaks all rules in football. Absolute madness.
“United may score goals and even win today, but the structure of the team is awful. The gaps in that midfield—this is a tactical decision. Bruno’s being told to play wide, but it’s not right.
“Bruno Fernandes is playing right wing, and the two midfielders are completely split it’s embarrassing. You wouldn’t even see this in Under-9s or Under-10s football.”
Neville’s remarks came shortly after James Maddison fired Spurs into an early lead, scoring just 13 minutes into the match.
Ahead of kickoff, Amorim had spoken to Sky Sports about his approach, emphasizing the need for his players to embrace the moment and fight for a win.
“I reminded them they are playing for Manchester United, which is a great thing. No matter the situation of our club, they have to go out there and give everything,” Amorim said.
“We need to win this game, so they have to focus on the job. Whatever happens in the end, that’s my responsibility. They should enjoy the game.”
But with Neville tearing apart the tactical setup, Amorim’s game plan may need a serious rethink.