Phil Neville played 386 games for Manchester United in a glorious decade, more times than Darren Fletcher, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Wes Brown or Cristiano Ronaldo.
He also played with and against all of those players in an eight-year career with Everton, where he became captain. Given the rivalry with Manchester United, the younger Neville brother needed to convince Everton fans.
“The Everton fans always said I was a 'Manc',” said Neville on the new Manchester United podcast. That view would change after an unforgettable tackle at Goodison Park in October 2008. “The day I tackled Ronaldo – I did a really bad tackle on Ronaldo – was the day they changed their opinion of me because I went against the club they thought I loved.”
With the visitors leading 1-0, Neville committed a horrendous foul on United’s best player, not that he saw it as such.
“Do you know when you get them moments and you think, ‘I’ve got you here’? ‘I can go through you and win the ball!’,” explained Neville. “And I thought wow, it was like having a tap-in!”
His former teammates did not share his view “Giggsy and Fletch, two of my mates, and Rio came towards me, effing and blinding,” Neville said.
“And I’m saying, ‘Guys, I’ve won the ball there’. I was just walking away and not one Everton player came and helped me. It was funny because after the game, Giggsy said, ‘I would have done the same thing.’ And I said to Giggsy, ‘I would have chased you down as well if you’d have tackled one of our players like that.’ It was just one of those things.”
________________
Manchester United season ratings
-
MANCHESTER UNITED SEASON RATINGS. David de Gea - 5. Clicked through United 400 games recently in his nine-year United career, but how many more? Retains the support of his manager and a contract so vast that nobody would want to match his wages. But 2019-20 was his poorest season since he arrived from Madrid as a callow teen. Played every single minute of all 38 league games, but while once it was possible to pinpoint where he saved United points when he was player of the year four times in five seasons, now the focus is on costly mistakes. Needs to get back to his best and has built up enough credit to get the support while he does that. AFP -
Aaron Wan-Bissaka - 7. His first season for United and he made more tackles than any other player as he started 45 matches and stayed injury free. It is almost impossible to get past him and the Londoner settled well, which isn’t easy. But he needs to improve his positioning, crossing and distribution if he’s to become a top full-back. An understanding with a quality winger in front of him would help, but until that happens we’ll still see the former Palace defender come inside with limited effect when United attack. Reuters -
Harry Maguire - 7. The most expensive defender in the world played considerably more than any other of his teammates – 55 times in total – and became club captain. Improved after Bruno Fernandes’ arrival and began connecting with his free-kicks from set-pieces. United’s defence stopped conceding goals as the team’s form improved towards the end of the season – though it was poor against Sevilla on Sunday. Not the fastest and his partner Lindelof covers for him, but better to have a settled defence for the first time in years. Getty -
Victor Lindelof - 7. The image of him arguing with Fernandes on Sunday in Cologne made headlines and United’s defence had an off day, but only Maguire played more games than the Swede this season. Crowned Swedish Player of the Year, he makes few errors (though against Olivier Giroud at Wembley he didn’t look great) and was excellent against Manchester City in both league derbies. Doubts remain whether he’s one of the best in the world because that’s what United fans have seen with Vidic, Ferdinand, et al. But he’s technically sound with the ball, reliable and should improve – especially his positioning – as he continues to play alongside Maguire. That’s not a prospect every United fan relishes, it must be said. Reuters -
Brandon Williams - 7. Nowhere near the first team a year ago but the Mancunian teen went on to play 36 games. That was probably too many and it showed towards the end when he filled in for the injured Luke Shaw. He’s got much to learn and enthusiasm to curb. He went over after a tackle against Sevilla like he was playing in Spain, not merely against a Spanish team, but it’s a deserved new contract for the full-back who came through the youth system. EPA -
Luke Shaw - 7. Player of the year last season, but not this. Decent for 33 games after missing September and October and the last weeks. The injury worries won’t go away and he’s had less luck than any player at the club in that regard, but he was missed in an awful autumn and United were better with him back after November. He was particularly impressive in a defensive three away at Chelsea. Needs to make more assists and more than one goal a year wouldn’t go amiss, but talented enough to be trusted. Reuters -
Bruno Fernandes - 9. Signing of the season. Came out of this summer’s transfer budget from Sporting Lisbon and within five minutes of his debut at home to Wolves (ironically a 0-0) was showing an attacking intent badly missing from his team. Energetic and driven, he can tackle, shoot and score. He’s fine with the physical demands of the Premier League but it’s his eye for a quick pass which sets him apart. They don’t all come off, they don’t need to. The 25-year-old from Porto makes watching Manchester United more exciting and he was the best player of the second part of the season. If he can properly click with Pogba, and the early signs are promising, then United are on to something. Bruno also takes penalties. And he scores them. Lots of them, even with a hop, skip and jump. Reuters -
Nemanja Matic - 7. Another who played in Portugal with Lindelof, Fernandes and the lesser seen defenders Marcos Rojo and Diogo Dalot. Matic had a nothing first half of the season when he was written off as past it. He showed he wasn’t as he returned for a super second half when he scored the winner in a Manchester derby, signed a new contract and refused to give the ball away. He’s not a Bruno style match winner, but brings balance and experience to the league’s youngest team. Form dipped a little after his contract was won, but remains an important United player. Getty -
Fred - 7. Just as the most optimistic United fans were starting to doubt the expensive Brazilian and his non-performances, he came good. Very good. Man of the match in United’s best performance of the season - against Manchester City in December - when he overcame racist abuse to be the team’s heartbeat, Fred played more midfield games than anyone until Pogba returned. Scored twice against Bruges, probably won’t get 46 games next season as he did this. But then who expected the tidy midfielder to be a regular after a wretched first year? AFP -
Scott McTominay - 6. Academy graduate who says the right things, has an excellent attitude, fitness levels and can be trusted to play against anyone. Five goals this season including the second against City in the last Old Trafford game to have a crowd. Injured over Christmas and then featured less as Matic became the main man in his position behind Pogba and Fernandes. Aged 23 and improving. Reuters -
Anthony Martial - 8. The best of his five seasons at the club, more silk and speed than sulk. It helps when you have players like Bruno around you and the Parisian finished as the top scorer with 23 - the most goals scored in a season since the Ferguson era. Hugely talented and happier when he plays now, he scored six and made four assists in nine games after the restart. Usually chosen as the central striker in Solskjaer’s preferred 4-2-3-1, though not a natural No 9. Would Bayern Munich’s forwards have missed the chances he did against Sevilla on Sunday? Reuters -
Marcus Rashford - 7. Contender for man of the year, if not always for what he does on a football pitch. Scored a career high 22 goals, the best a free-kick at Chelsea in the League Cup. Would have been more had he not broken his back in January. One tiny positive of the pausing of competitive football was that he came back to finish a season he didn’t expect to, but form was patchy – as it is expected to be after a serious injury. Much happier with Solskjaer as boss than Mourinho, he’s entering his sixth season in the first team. Still just 22, he’s learning to improve his all-round game by getting in more positions where goals are scored. Beautiful to watch when he’s running at players with pace, he knows he needs to add another 10 per cent to his game to be considered a world class player. AFP -
Daniel James - 5. Started superbly with a debut goal against Chelsea in a productive first month where his speed hurt opponents but faded badly. Looked no better than a squad player towards the end and was told by his manager to get his head together over the break and come back focused. But, James played 46 games this season. He’s 22. He lost his dad before the season started. Cut him slack, he deserves it as his game hopefully improves. Getty -
Paul Pogba - 6. Injury meant the Frenchman barely featured all season, but that didn’t keep him out of the headlines as speculation about his future hung around. Last season’s top scorer, he managed only one this term, but his impact was clear from when he came on as sub in the first game back at Spurs and played a ball forward which cut through four opponents. He started every league game thereafter. Bruno, form and a lack of suitors means he’s almost certainly going to stay. And a fit and in-form Pogba is a plus for any team in the world, with the skill to receive the ball in the tightest positions and come away with it. EPA -
Mason Greenwood - 9. Eighteen-years-old and he scored 17 times for Manchester United in his first season. Let that sink in. Only started his first Premier League game in December, a key match at home to Spurs. Did well, but a callow kid from Bradford can’t be expected to perform week in week out. Greenwood’s limited effect in the cup derby win at City, combined with Rashford’s injury, saw Solskjaer move for an on-loan striker, yet Greenwood still started ahead of Odion Ighalo and justified it with accuracy in his shooting, goals and match winning performances. He’s bulked up to become stronger but needs to remain focused and listen to his coaches and more experienced teammates. EPA -
Jesse Lingard - 4. Started 20 games and came on in 20 more. His stock remains very low among fans, his number of goals (one, in the final minute of the final game) and assists (none) too. Some spirited performances from the bench towards the very end of the season (he’d been left out of the squad for six games after the restart) where he showed his fitness may hold value. But his purple patches and cup winning goals at United are long behind him. Probably best for both parties if he started afresh elsewhere. Reuters -
Andreas Pereira - 5. Frustrated squad player on the evidence of this season. Featured in 40 matches this season, which is more than his current ability merits. Man of the match in the win at Burnley away when he was given a specific job by a manager who likes him, but if you are an attacking midfielder for Manchester United you need more than two goals all season. Reuters -
Juan Mata - 5. A lovely person - and he’ll hate to be known just for that. His cameo role against Copenhagen in the Europa League quarter-final showed he can still change a game and his experience and personality was needed in the dressing room. That he started eight games in both the Premier League and the Europa League showed his peripheral position in the squad – and that wasn’t really a surprise. He’s 32 and talented enough to be playing top level football every week somewhere, but he remains content at a club where he’s highly regarded by all. Reuters
________________
Neville, who is set to end a three-year stint as England woman’s manager in 2021, added: “Ronaldo was absolutely brilliant. He obviously rolled around, but the ball went up the other end.
"I was playing right-back and he was left-wing and he just high-fived and winked at me and said, ‘Great tackle, I’d have done the same thing.’ It was great. And Ronaldo was brilliant.”
Neville came through United’s youth ranks and won the Jimmy Murphy award for being the best young player at the club.
“That [the history] is the first thing that you are taught when you play for Manchester United. I think it is the first thing that any kid should be taught – any signing that comes in should be taught about the history of the club,” said Neville, 43.
“I hope that the kids nowadays – you should walk them up that Munich Tunnel, tell them about the history of the club. I actually didn’t realise the magnitude of winning that award until you take the trophy home and see the previous winners of that trophy. Man United legends, Man United greats that went on to win and play for ten years at the club."
Neville was one of those players in the first team for a decade, winning league titles and the treble, plus spending lots of nights away sharing hotel rooms with teammates at a time when that was the norm.
"I roomed with Gary a lot," he said of his older brother. "I roomed with Scholesy once. He didn't enjoy me. The thing with Scholesy was, with England we had our own rooms, he liked his curtains closed all day and literally you would go into his room as if it was 2 am in the morning all day long.
"He used to just like watching telly with the curtains closed. I would wake up and open the curtains, bright and breezy, busy. I think that was Brondby away, that was a one-day experience that Scholesy never had again.
“I roomed with Jordi Cruyff, because me and Jordi Cruyff were quite close, for two trips. But he used to play Football Manager up until about 3am in the morning, and I used to go to bed at 9 o’clock so we weren’t really that compatible.”
When contacted by The National, Cruyff laughed and agreed that this was true.
“The only one who was compatible was my brother. We’d rise early and go to bed early so we stuck together really. Obviously Gary and Becks were close but Gary and Becks were totally the opposite. Becks would stay up late, get up late. So, they just stuck us together," Phil said.
“But the experience with Scholesy, I thought we’d be a match made in heaven, we were close friends. I brought Maynards gums for him, he liked sweets. [However] the minute I walked in the room, even me unpacking the bag annoyed him. Everything I did annoyed him. If I went to the toilet and flushed, and then wiped the sink down, it annoyed him."
