Read the full transcript as Sky Sports pundits Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher debate Erik ten Hag's performance as Man Utd manager and the reasons for their continued struggles; Ten Hag's side suffered a chastening 3-0 loss to Man City on Super Sunday
Sunday 29 October 2023 20:02, UK
Sky Sports pundits Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher clashed when debating Erik ten Hag and the problems engulfing Manchester United after their 3-0 loss to Manchester City at Old Trafford.
Ten Hag's side were comprehensively outclassed by their rivals, with Erling Haaland scoring twice and Phil Foden adding a third to leave them 11 points off the Premier League summit as the pressure mounts on Ten Hag.
Neville insisted the Dutchman should not be blamed for Manchester United's underperformance, instead pointing to long-standing issues with the club's ownership, but Carragher disagreed.
His view was that the manager should be held accountable for their poor displays and you can read the full transcript of their heated debate in the Super Sunday studio below.
NEVILLE: "I agree with what Erik ten Hag said about the first half being not that bad. I thought it was OK and the defensive side of things was fine. City struggled to create openings.
"But when I saw [Scott] McTominay alongside [Christian] Eriksen in midfield I thought that was brave, if not a little bit reckless. I didn't think it would work. I thought [Sofyan] Amrabat must be injured but we've had it confirmed he wasn't.
"I don't think it was a great day for his substitutions. Last season, his substitutions were amazing. Every time he made them, it improved the team's performance. I thought today the substitutions made them worse and opened them up more.
"But I've seen this now with four or five managers down the line, where they really struggle in their second or third season. We end up rinse-repeat, rinse-repeat. Exactly the same things happen again and we start talking about the same things again.
"The performances of Manchester United against City have not been good. I was at the cup final last season and the performance was not good. That performance in the second half today was appalling. Amrabat coming off emptied midfield.
"But my anger isn't with Ten Hag. I don't believe he's the fundamental cause of this problem."
CARRA: "I get what you're saying in terms of rinse-repeat, different managers and stuff like that. We would all say it went well last season but none of us here can explain what Manchester United try to do in terms of how they play.
"He has been here now nearly 18 months. We've seen Unai Emery come in at Aston Villa, we've seen Ange Postecoglou come in at Tottenham. In a short space of time, it doesn't mean you win every week, but when you go to the games you know what you're going to see.
"We still don't know what we're going to see with Manchester United. You tell me how they play with the ball."
NEVILLE: "Look, Carra, to be honest with you I can't disagree with you. But those managers you talk about come into stable environments. They've currently got over their heads a guy all over the news who is going to own 25 per cent..."
CARRA: "Gary, no, no, no..."
NEVILLE: "Why do I have to listen to you but you won't listen to me?
"Basically, you imagine you're in a business, in a football club, and the news is that a guy is going to come in and wipe out the whole football department. Can you imagine what's going on in that football club at this moment in time, in and around Erik ten Hag?
"It is toxic, and embedded negativity. They all think they are all going to lose their jobs.
"Jim Radcliffe is going to come in with David Brailsford, they are gong to sweep out the football department. That's what's happening and I honestly believe this toxicity that exists at this club, and has done for years, it eats alive every manager that comes and every player that comes.
"Harry Maguire was going to go to Man City. Mason Mount was going to Liverpool. They come here and it's a graveyard for them. Are we going to keep blaming the kids in the class, or the head teacher?"
CARRA: "So we can't analyse anything Erik ten Hag does or any performance of Manchester United?
"Every time they get beat badly in a game, everything goes back to the ownership. Of course it's not right, the supporters are not happy, but what you're talking about is a style of football.
"What he's doing on the training pitch Monday to Friday has got nothing to do with Jim Radcliffe coming in. What does he want those players to do? When they are building from the back - and we see every top team in the league do it - what are Manchester United trying to do with the ball?
"They are playing underdog football and they have done since he came in.
"Gary, let me finish. They play counter-attack and they play a lot of long balls. No other top team plays like that. It's nothing to do with what's going on above him. What's he doing on the training pitch, with the players he brings in, and what's he asking them to do? You can't see it."
NEVILLE: "Carra, I completely agree with you. They have allowed another manager to come in and dictate policy and let the tail wag the dog on recruitment. They have brought eight Eredivisie players in from basically a league that Erik ten Hag thinks he trusts.
"They did the same thing with Ole [Gunnar Solskjaer] and the same thing with Jose [Mourinho} and Louis van Gaal.
"I'm not saying he is not culpable for the mistakes that he is making. He has got injuries to players like [Lisandro] Martinez, and [Raphael] Varane, who is only just coming back, so there are issues in terms of playing out from the back.
"He has not got Casemiro in midfield either, so he hasn't got three players who are fundamentally his connection from defence."
CARRA: "Casemiro is one of the worst signings they have made."
NEVILLE: "What I'm saying though is that those players help him play from the back.
"I don't like the football at all, I've no idea what the patterns are they are trying to put in place, but the bigger picture with United that we have seen is that great managers and great players with great reputations come here and die in front of our eyes.
"Why is that? How do we answer that question?"
