Gary Neville's 7-word response after Maguire fluffs Man Utd chance to beat Liverpool

Gary Neville couldn’t hide his disappointment after Harry Maguire missed a golden opportunity to secure an unlikely victory for Manchester United against Liverpool.

In a thrilling encounter at Anfield, the game exploded into life after a goalless but entertaining first half.

Lisandro Martinez gave United the lead with a stunning goal, only for Cody Gakpo to equalize. Mohamed Salah then converted a penalty with 20 minutes remaining, putting Liverpool ahead, but Amad Diallo’s late equalizer set up a dramatic finish.

The game ended 2-2, but it could have been so much more for United.

Deep into added time, Maguire, unmarked, fired over from ten yards out after Joshua Zirkzee's cross bobbled awkwardly before reaching him. Replays showed the difficulty of the chance, but Neville, commentating for Sky Sports, was still in disbelief.

“Oh, my god! I can’t believe it,” Neville exclaimed.“It may just be offside, but Harry Maguire wasn’t to know that. It’s bobbled into him, to be fair. He’s got a bit of work to do to control it—it’s halfway up his shin, and that’s it.”

Reflecting on the match, Neville praised the overall spectacle and United’s performance: “It was a fantastic match.

"There have been some disappointments over the years—four goalless draws in the last eight between these two—but Roy Keane asked for Manchester United to show some passion today, and they did that in abundance.

“They were spirited but also played with real quality. I think they deserved more than the 2-2. Harry Maguire, what a chance to win it. Liverpool are still in a great position for the title. It’s been a proper match.”

Roy Keane, speaking from the Sky Sports studio, echoed Neville’s sentiments. While lamenting the missed chance, he praised United’s spirited display, which came after four consecutive defeats in all competitions.

“Listen, that would have been amazing if they could have won it at the end, but what they did was show plenty of fighting spirit,” Keane said.

“That’s what I asked for at the start of the game, and the bonus was the quality of play. To score two goals and nearly win it at the end—that’s progress.”

Keane also highlighted the positive approach from both sides: “Well done Manchester United, and credit to both teams at the end. Both teams wanted to win it, nobody parking the bus, two big clubs going at it. I think it was a fair result.”

Despite the missed opportunity, United’s performance offered a glimmer of hope, proving they could match the league leaders in quality and intensity.