Ahead of our League Cup semi-final against Manchester City tonight, Gary Neville believes Manchester United are not using this occasion as another opportunity to put our local rivals in their place, rather to get ourselves in to another final.
“I don’t see the game as an opportunity to reassert our dominance over City,” said Neville. “We are quite comfortable with where we are. We are second in the league, we’re in the Carling Cup semi-final and we’re in the second phase of the Champions League, so we have nothing to prove. People might perceive that something is going on in Manchester between the two clubs, but we cannot afford to get involved in that. We just need to concentrate on our jobs like we’ve always done. We have had battles for the top honours with our rivals like Leeds and Liverpool over the years. We just concentrate on our own performance. There is no way we can start to concern ourselves with other teams too much.”
Man Utd News 24/7
Too right Nev. They are just a small club. This is the City cup final.
Any clues on what sort of line-up SAF’s going to put out ?
I don’t agree. This IS a ‘chance to re-assert our dominance over City’. It is not only ‘the City cup final’, it’s a tie United really do need to win, just as much as City. We are in crisis and now is not the time to see City bloated entirely on un-earned petro-dollars ‘knock us off our f*****g perch’. Talk of this being a potential turning point is not mis-placed, it’s that important and all the sounds coming out of Old Trafford reek of complacency. We have failed dismally against Liverpool this season and last after similar ‘confident’ sentiments from players just as we failed against Leeds. I know players have to do press conferences, but a period of silence from all of them wouldn’t go amiss. It’s a cliche, but they should ‘do their talking on the pitch’.It’s sad to see Gary Neville, who has been a fantastic player for United over so many seasons now in serious decline, after numerous serious injuries, talking in this way, presumably intended as a withering put-down of City. Well it no longer works, coming from him. It’s reached the sad point where I wince every time I see his name on the team-sheet. Coming out with these statements doesn’t alter the position, United have to ‘re-assert dominance’ over everyone, week in, week out, and bold words are not enough if you don’t do it on the pitch. I can just see the post-match analysis now, ‘City wanted it more…’
This is a far bigger game for the bitters. They need a victory for confirmation of their “status”. A defeat keeps them on their arse. Nevs right not to worry to much about what they are doin. WE ARE UNITED!!!
@ Giles Oakley
I fully agree with you. Whoever the opponent they out there to get us. Believing that we have nothing to prove is wrong. We are the champipons and we must act like champions. We shouldn’t fear anyone but we must respect everyone. I don’t think that “There is no way we can start to concern ourselves with other teams too much” is the right attitude. Or am I not understanding Nev?
@ Giles Oakley
Very true Sir…Exactly the kind of sentiment I have been feeling for the past couple of months. Just before the leeds game a few of our lads came and said similar things and look what happened. It seems that the players no longer realize what local rivalries means to the fans, part of the “football getting detached from reality” theme going around these days. Usually Neville is the first to come out with cries of passion over these games and to see this kind of talk from him before a game is really surprising and out of character.
Its as if the players are feeling a crisis of confidence over their own abilities and are just trying to convince themselves that everything is alright by making these kind of re-assuring statements in public.
“All izz well” syndrome its called at the moment!
Red Devil
Got you mate. Remeber while running on Sunday people on the streets shouting “all izz well” to motivate us.
3 Idiots really has a message and this sentence is being used like hot cakes by people in India at the moment.
@ AIG
how are you mate…recovered from the marathon?
I really hope our players are motivated enough for tonite because on more than a few occassions we have been outfought this term. Now it is understandable if we are outplayed by a superior football team like Barcelona, but to be outfought like against Burnley, Sunderland, Liverpool, Fulham, Leeds…its just not done…its unheard of. Just imagine a United team under Keane being outfought, its just not on..
GET FUCKING STUCK IN LADS!!
Red Devil
I am good. Thank You.What about you?
Nearly recovered. Had a good 25 minute jog yesterday. Felt a little bit of pain but now i am fine.
agree with you. The lads must GET STUCK IN as you said. The fact that it is a derby should be good enough to motivate the younger players and ensure we dont get outplayed in a big game again
I really don’t think that Neville is trying to downplay the match. He’s sayin that City are tryin to build it up into a winner takes all, because they’re being noisey neighbours again. UTD are concentrating on their own game. By not getting caught up in the city inspired hype Utd stand a good chance of playing their own game and actually playing with some inspiration and doin them over ( i hope). C’mon the REDS.
@ AIG
I’m doing ok mate…just caught a bit of the cold wave going around going in Eastern India….Hoping the team can help me feel a lot better tonight!
Have got to agree with you Giles and its something that ive been saying for ages.I would have preferred either silence from Utd or a Roy Keane “tell it like it is” type of statement not these stupid “we have nothing to prove” crap.
Of course every player has something to prove!
They need to prove to the fans, the boss, their team mates that they are worthy to put on the shirt and to perform.
Its that type of attitude that has seen us lose to Leeds/Burnley etc and if its coming from Neville what are the likes of Anderson to think?
And for someone like Neville who lets be fair was very poor vs Leeds he is the last person who should be coming out with this.
Would much rather see a back line of Wes/Rafael-Vidic-Evans-Evra/Fabio…NO NEVILLE!
Well said cap’n!
lol… city may be able to win us in the carling cup match but they are never gonna knock us off our perch… Because we have the greatest manager of all time.