"Man Utd were the better team" | Nev reacts to Man Utd vs Arsenal | Gary Neville Podcast 🎙️

Adol Trafford, Manchester United beaten though Gary, 1-0 by Arsenal on a day despite that scoreline

Game in terms of performance, but we know that performance sometimes obviously isn't enough and that Arsenal have got real resilience and they can sort of hang in there and sort of grind out you know 1-0 victories and that was really good from Arsenal but I just thought there were some positives I thought K the worst and positive thought Cooney and then Burma. I think probably and Burma more

in the first half. Can you more in the second half? But I think they show that they can sort of handle sort of a big game at all traffic. They show they've got the quality and the ability

that can you look so really good player. We obviously know that from Wolf, but you can see. It's interesting. I thought that, um, when Mount was on the pitch, they actually looked a little

bit better up front in terms of connecting it now, obviously, sesco had to come on and he was only on for 20 minutes and to try and sort of get that goal. But I actually thought when

amount, um, particularly couldn't you're on that side of the pitch. They look like they did combine well with each other. I actually thought United found it more difficult the way they played. They played really well. They played really

well. They played really well.

They played really well. They

played really well. They played really well. They played really well. They played really well. They played really well. They played really well. They played really well. They played really

well. They played really well. They played really well. They played really well. They played really well. They played really well. They played really well. the way. I mean, I think it's probably the two fullbacks that came on that would probably get

in. You know, 99% of teams in this league, So, yeah, I wasn't

not too downhearted. It's the

first game of the season. I thought the system work better. Actually thought the back three did very well of sure. Delict and your thought that Manchester United defended really well. I

had to thought Casamiro and Fernandes played well in midfield and I thought that was going to be a difficult game for those two against Zubimendi, Rice and Oerdigaard. I thought they could get outnumbered but they didn't. Casemiro and Fernandes I thought held their own. So I think United over the course of that match in terms of the football that they played and their performance were probably the better team. But we know obviously they've lost the game and that's what matters. And presumably, if Manchester United played well and lost,

then there must be some good things to say about Arsenal too.

Yeah, look, I think that I said a couple of weeks ago, Arsenal have got to pretend that the very first game of this season is February. And that was a February-March type performance. Go away from home, win at Old Trafford 1-0. That's a big, big result. Now, it's happened very early in the season, but it will give them real confidence. They'll travel back to London tonight and they'll feel, you know,

together. They didn't play well last night. I mean, the football really for the players that they have on that pitch in terms of rice, supermen, the other guard, Sacca, Martinelli, Yocceres. They really did sloppy. Didn't really get that passing going. I thought they actually started the game quite jittery. I thought the two

center backs who actually grew in the game and they're outstanding. They're a brilliant pair, but also Libra. I'd rather shake his 10 minutes that I've seen from him in that first

period of the game. So yeah, I think for them to get a clean sheet here to get a winner, all they've got to be better than that. You know, I thought were made, but they lost their attacking threat completely I felt when Joker has went off. So yeah things to work on but the big thing for Mikhail Arteta he's got a very resilient bunch they're good at set pieces they're a good defensive unit they just have a little bit have to have a little bit more sparkle up front but that's it you know Old Trafford's a tough place to come it's the first game of the season so

yeah well done to Arsenal I think it's a big victory for them and Of the three clubs that you've just said can win the league in your opinion and they have all won first up So should we go back and take them one by one? Liverpool first up Friday night fabulous football match obviously stained by that horrible racist incident

Yeah

But in terms of first of all the tributes to Diogo Jota, beautiful, and then the match itself, really thrilling. A really good launch night at Anfield, and what did you make of Liverpool?

Yeah, the game was great, I think Semenyo, to be fair, not just in his performance but his statements he made yesterday, has just been the star of this weekend, without a shadow of a doubt. I thought it was incredible, his words he seen it on social media yesterday demonstrates what a man and what character is, and what he

suffered there on Friday night is just absolutely unacceptable. And that's the first thing to say, but it was an outstanding game marred by that incident. You know that the thrill of the

game in terms of how Liverpool play how Bournemouth then came back into it, and then Liverpool obviously scored the late goals. We had that debate at the end with Anna slot me and Jamie Carragher because this part of me loves that type of football, the leaving two on two at the back, the fullbacks

going forward and even at 21 up sort of over committing. That's how we played out here for many, many years and just it's that risk element of football. I think Liverpool are

going to be a thrilling watch if you sign is that even more thrilling and I could take it had an outstanding Premier the way he was. He was a brilliant player. He was a brilliant player. He had a great week. He had an outstanding Premier League

debut. So yeah, there was a lot of good out there on Friday night for us to watch amongst that sort of horrible incident, and it was a thrilling game and credit to Liverpool for coming

back towards the end, but they've got so much firepower they can score goals. And they're going to win a lot of the way that Liverpool players want to see him get more. Solid defensively. I think the full

backs will need to settle down a little bit defensively. Kirkez was quite rash, and you'll just need to know it's understandable. It's his first game at Anfield. Um, three

pong. I thought he was actually doing quite well, but obviously again he got substituted. So yeah, there are some questions, I think, for Liverpool in respect of their defensive side of their game, and their balance in midfield. Obviously without Gravenberge they look like they lack a bit of legs, and there's a lot of space in there, which is not something we were used to last season.

But they've got some very, very good players, and they've got more players to come in. So, yeah, a good start for them, but bits to work on as you'd expect.

And perhaps, my opinion doesn't matter, but alongside Semenya, who you rightly say is the star of the weekend, perhaps next to Natas could be Tajani Reinders. He was a joy for City yesterday.

Yeah, we didn't know he was that good, did we? Actually, he was doing the podcast earlier on in the week, and Jill Scott had obviously watched quite a bit of City in pre-season, and she said Reinders is a good rind is really good. Watch out for him and I've seen him play. But then you watched

him yesterday. It's like it's the first game. We shouldn't get carried away by anything that we've seen in this first weekend because things will start to obviously even

themselves out and things will start to settle down. But what an outstanding game he had. And when you just look at the the way he's running. He's passing. His password is with his right foot. The one that's

over the top for Rico Lewis is running power. Forward I'm back and you start thinking that looks one hell of a play. There are very few players that you can see score a goal like that

with the left foot pass with the right foot. You know the running power forward and sort of their ability to sort of drive into that space. Those are you really. I was watching him last night in that game, and I thought if I was a City manager fan teammate, I'd be thinking, Oh, hang on a minute. People haven't written City off, let's be clear. They haven't. But they're asking questions as to whether this squad

is as good as Arsenal or Liverpool, and rightly so. Thinking always that they've got this manager who's a genius, who does not win Premier League titles or titles two years on the bounce. the way that you've got to play. You know, you've got to play. You know, he doesn't not win Premier League titles or titles two years on the bounce. You've always got that in the back of your mind. You've got

the question mark over Rodri. So you're thinking, you know, we'll stone stay fit all season is Rodri going to be fit. Have they got that sort of ability up top to sparkle, you know, the way that they've been playing. It's just a bit of a bit of a bit of a push. Harland

if you get rain is rinders and Rodri in there with Bernardo Silver, you're thinking. Hang

on a minute. That's a hell of a

team. It's obviously they have to keep the defenders fit. But city. Um. It's ridiculous to think of them as sort of I'm almost like making them sound like dark horses. Manage the and won many championships in the last five years, but they just dropped off so quickly and so violently, really.

It was like off the edge of a cliff. But Rijnders yesterday and the way in which City performed, it's too early to say that they go right up there as champions, but they keep Rodri fit, Rijnders fit in midfield, and Haaland and Diaz and Stones, that spine is as good as anything you'll see in this league, and they'll be really, really tough to stop.

Yeah, it is interesting, I know I'm guilty of being reactionary on first weekend, and you think something, don't you? But as you rightly said, it's been really fascinating that in this prediction season, Manchester City have been relatively little mentioned, and without, or try to avoid being guilty of reacting to the first weekend, do you feel that in terms of your expectations they have risen now?

Are you considering them more seriously based on what you saw yesterday?

I think, look, between the three of them, Liverpool, Arsenal and City, and what we've seen in this first weekend, all of them have got, I think, cases for saying that they could win the league. I think it's a the best striker in the league in Ireland. But honestly, I think Liverpool with these coming in could easily win the league. If they settle those

two fullbacks down and get

Gravenberg back, they could easily win this league by 567 points. We could be staring the obvious in the face that Pep Guardiola signs rinders. He gets Rodri is kingpin back in

midfield. They've got the best striker in the world that scores 40 goals. And all of a sudden you've got stones and Diaz who could become the best center back pairing in the league all of a sudden if they're at the best. And you

would say you could be looking back in six months and saying, Well, it was staring you in the face. They've got a treble winning spine. They've got new players that look outstanding.

They've got the best forward in the way. You look at Arsenal and you think the last two pieces of the jigsaw. They've got the probably the best defensive unit. They look like they're a real team that difficult to beat the

great on set pieces. Yockeres obviously looks like he's a handful in a threat up front. Um, you've amended midfield, so all three have got genuine cases. I know that there won't be equal

favorites and all Liverpool will be slightly ahead but I don't think if you ask Liverpool fans or if you ask City fans or ask Arsenal fans I don't think any of them would sit here and say they were confident they would win the league this season but I think they'd all think we've got a great chance of winning the league because the three of

them are really close I think. I was interested you did say it's just three and sort of putting it into the context of this weekend I'm just thinking of the other ones who might make an argument Chelsea of course have started with a blank game against Palace Villa and Newcastle blotted each other out Spurs have had a good home win that's a nice

launch for Thomas Frank yeah I'm not being dismissive of the other teams in terms of saying that the poor teams or nowhere near good enough they just haven't got that they haven't got that experience that maturity that title winning feeling about them yet those teams that you've just mentioned their first time. They've never got that. They haven't got that experience that maturity that title winning feeling about

them yet those teams that you've just mentioned, Aston Villa and Newcastle are not going to win the league. I think he's specifically mainly referring to Chelsea. Maybe they won the

World Club Championship. They finished obviously in the Champions League spaces last season. But when I look at Chelsea, they've got obviously a lot of very good young players, but you're not looking at João Pedro and Dilap in the same light as you're looking at Arsenal's front players or Liverpool's front players or City's. You're just not. They're good players and I think they'll have a good season, Chelsea,

but I'm not looking at them and thinking that there is that sort of spine of a title-winning team there yet. It's not ready, it's not right. I'm going to sneeze. Bless you. their way. It's not ready. It's not right. I'm gonna sneeze. Bless you. Bless me. Sonia That's just not being you know, and that's not just because of

today. I think would have said exactly the same before this game. They're drawn against a very good team today in Crystal Palace. So for me, Yeah, I think those that top three are going to be going to be fighting out out. One of them may drop away a few weeks before the end,

but I don't know which one it would be. But I think those three are going to be the ones that are going to be going for it.

Okay, let's just finish with, probably if you're a neutral looking down, what must have been the happiest place in England yesterday would be Sunderland. What a sensational start. You know of course, and I do too, having watched football there. It is a great place when it's bouncing. And seeing the pictures of it yesterday, it was bouncing.

Yeah, I mean, what a day. What a day, and you saw those faces in the crowd when the goals were going in, and it's an amazing sort of situation when you see clubs come up. You referred to, obviously, a game earlier today

about Brentford against, I think, Arsenal a few seasons ago, and it was magnificent that night. the way that you were able to get a chance to play in Arsenal seasons ago, and it was magnificent that night. You wish you'd have been at Sunderland yesterday just

experiencing, you know, they've missed out for so many years, such a great football club, but the more and more importantly, I think obviously we talked a lot about and I'm worried about

it actually about the top three, the three from the championship coming up and then that situation. But actually, when I saw Sunderland yesterday, there was a lot of things that I liked. You know, the physicality in the air with the headed goals. I think the fact that they have players that they're really sort of powerful and strong could make runs in behind. They're really direct. And I think we've seen some teams come up from the championship and they try to play these thousand passes from the back and I lose the will to live. I'm sorry. You're taking on Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham, Villa, Arsenal, Liverpool,

all these great sides and you're passing out from the back and you've got championships and halves. And I know you've done it in the Championship maybe and it looks great and I know there's reasons why teams do that now. One is because the coach wants to play the way in which we'll get that coach promoted. I think managers, owners want to play a progressive style of football. I think they also want to produce players that can be bought by the top clubs so that they create a player trading model that means that they can

sell those players into clubs like City, Liverpool, Chelsea at 30, 40 million and it keeps them propped up. But whatever happened to doing what you need to do to win football matches and points to be able to stay in the league. You're not going to be open to doing what you need to do to win football

matches and points to be able to stay in the league. And actually, what I've enjoyed about this first weekend is that I don't want to see formulaic football. I don't want to see

everybody playing the same way. I want to see direct, imperfect football. I do. Imperfection for me is beautiful in football and there's that element of, you know, we've seen sometimes over the last few years wide players get the ball and pass it back and recycle it far too often. Now that can that can work. And sometimes if you haven't got you've got three or four players in front of you think, Okay, let's switch it. Let's get it out to the side and see whether we

can, you know, push it into a different area of the pitch to get a sort they play. I think you can see why players with thrill and risk and players running forward and committing and over committing in the box. That's why I wasn't overly critical of Liverpool the night

when they had that counter attack goal against them. They had seven players in the box. They could have gone three went up and won the game in that moment. Obviously they risk

losing the game in doing it, but that's what be able to play. You're going to be able to play with the qualities that I think can keep you in this league because. If you're playing for Liverpool City and Arsenal, the three best teams in the

league and Sunderland come and try and play football against you and pass it around the pitch. You're really happy because I've been there. I'm really happy to try and take us

on at football because I know their own. They're not going to be able to do that. But if they try and basically be direct against us, beat us up, aggressive running behind us be a threat. Some of the toughest games I had in Premier League

football. We're not in the biggest matches. It was at grounds like Stoke Wimbledon, Crystal Palace, West Brom. And there's many others South Hampton at the Dell. When I got

beat their 53 521 year or whatever it was 631 year 31 the next because you had players that basically had quality, but they also were really a massive physical threat. So set pieces

were a real pressure in certain grounds. You played Wimbledon away. You're thinking, please stick your helmets on type stuff. So I want to see this league not be 20 teams all and I thought Sunland epitomized that yesterday in terms of spirit, energy, direct play, crosses and great headers from goals. I was really happy with it.

I mean, we've not talked about the set piece that's won this game here today. And obviously, I think that I actually thought by Indira, I mean, you can never say goalkeepers had a good game when they've made a mistake like that, because I. Any defender that gives a goal away. You've given up your credit of having a good game. You know, I've never bought into

this idea that a goalkeeper gives a goal away and then they make a safe 10 minutes later, and he's made up for it. Don't he's he never thinks that a professional never thinks that

if I make a mistake in a game, and we went to one. I just feel I'm very lucky and fortunate I'm playing with good players. I've got to sort myself out. It'll cost us points if I carry on doing it. But what it does point towards is Arsenal's great set piece play, the way in which they work set pieces, but also points towards a glaring issue for United that can't be ignored. And that is that they do need to find a goalkeeper. Um, they have to. I'm absolutely unequivocal on that because I'd have experienced at United

for 20 years where there were two big periods of seven or eight years with Schmeichel and Van der Sar and then in between we had seven or eight goalkeepers in a sort of six, seven, eight year period and it's really unsettling when you haven't got a dominant number one who's six foot two, who's dominant in the air, who owns his six-yard box, who comes and punches everything, who makes a lot of saves in one-on-one and saves your points when your defenders make mistakes. I think that's gonna need to be something.

I don't know where they are on PSR. They seem to have a bit more money. They might have to magic up a bit more money in the next week or two or do something on loan. Donnarumma? that you look at that are of the world Cup. You've seen Martinez play in the World Cup final for Italy saved those

penalties. You look like a giant. You've seen him play for PSG in huge games under pressure. You've seen Martin is playing World Cup finals and win a World Cup, so they played

under extreme pressure. And they've got big personalities and characters, and they almost walk out with arrogance and sort of dominance of a goalkeeper, and I think managed United. the way he's going to be. There's a number of things that

managed United need this season. They need Luke Shaw to stay fit. I hope it didn't go off at the end because he was injured because that would just be completely and utterly

demoralizing because when you saw actually that, um, your went to left center back. The lick went to right center back and McGuire went in the middle just do that one change of Luke the back three. I think he's got to get the goalkeeper

sorted. I thought dog who looked quite good at left wing back Diallo and Dallo, I think are okay on the right as well. So I think I'm rooms get into that point whereby I think he's got

a team that he thinks he can probably. I think we need to sort the goalkeeper out because they will continually concede goals and points and it undermines what you're doing. I've said here that that 75,000 or 72,000 home fans,

when the goalkeeper's flapping at it, all they do is go, and that sends a shiver through defenders, sends the Manchester United defenders, it'll send a shiver through the goalkeeper, it creates an anxiety in the stadium.

I've said it for many, many years, you've got to have personality, character, and stability in that position. I think Manchester United are going to have to deal with it in this next couple of weeks. But I thought it was actually a good performance from United, I thought it was really resilient and good from Arsenal. And we've had a really good first weekend. I'm looking forward to Leeds and Everton tomorrow night, I think that's

got the makings of a really good game. But I think there's been some really good things this opening weekend. like we're a big team or are going to be no no Careful Gary no big physically

So if you if you liked if you liked that kind of get up and go football then maybe that's what you're gonna see

I don't know. I've seen a few teams come up over the last few years. I'm not gonna name names They all do it their own way, but honestly, I just said it before Please don't put us through it this five-yard pass into your goalkeeper, you know you're going to be a threat. You're going to be a threat. You're going to be a threat. You're going to be a threat. You're going to be a threat. You're going to be a threat. You're going to be a threat.

You're going to be a threat. the players. They're not just physical. Yeah, and they're enormous, enormous teams well, but they're enormous club leads and just think of leads and Sunderland and you think of those two grounds and when

those two grounds are at it and they're on top. No, there are real difficult place to go. It's really bloody hard to get an atmosphere. If you sent rafts of passing it to each of

the five yards into the box. Arsenal are unapologetic around long throws. So if you're Sunderland or Leeds, chuck it into the near post, things can happen. And that's what Stoke used to do, it's what Crystal Palace used to do, it's what Wimbledon used to do. They haven't got three, four hundred million pound player budgets these teams, so why would you the same level of football. Of course, if you can get it down and play with a bit of quality in certain moments, of course, that's right. But I'm

not advocating going back to 442 and long ball here, but I just think these teams that are coming up, they're going to be a bit more pragmatic, I think, and let's let's see what leaves

do tomorrow night against Everton. It should be a should Everton. It should be a should be a good game.