Neville says why he thinks Man Utd are so bad both 'on and off the field'

Gary Neville has delivered a scathing assessment of Manchester United’s current struggles, blaming the club’s poor leadership for their decline on the pitch.

The former right-back highlighted United’s recruitment as a major issue, arguing that the current squad lacks the quality of even those under previous managers like Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho—teams that were heavily criticized at the time.

“My concern with this group of players is that they aren’t even close to the calibre of those who have failed at Manchester United over the last decade,” Neville said.

Ruben Amorim, who took over in January, made headlines when he described his team as "maybe the worst" in the club’s history—a claim that seems to be backed up by the numbers.

In Erik ten Hag’s final full season, United finished eighth, their lowest placement in the Premier League era. But under Amorim, they are on course to break that unwanted record, currently sitting 15th in the table.

Neville pointed to United’s failed recruitment strategy and a lack of true star power in the squad as key reasons for their struggles.

“A few years ago, United had players like Lukaku, Pogba, Alexis Sánchez, and Di María—players with incredible talent capable of dismantling teams,” Neville said. “Now, you look around this dressing room and wonder how the club ended up with a squad that Amorim himself called ‘the worst in Manchester United’s history.’”

While United are enduring one of their worst-ever seasons on the pitch, the club’s ownership has been focused on cost-cutting measures off it. From mass layoffs to the cancellation of staff events, INEOS has faced heavy criticism from fans for its handling of the club’s finances.

Neville believes the chaos behind the scenes is directly reflected in United’s poor performances. “Manchester United has gone from being the richest football club in the world to not even being able to provide for its own staff—that’s a massive fall,” he said.

“What’s happening on the pitch is just mirroring what’s going on off it. The debt, the bad signings, the lack of a clear vision—it’s all led to this. They’re 15th in the league in March, which is something I never thought I’d see.”

With little left to salvage from the season, Neville admitted that the focus must now shift to rebuilding for the future.

“There’s not much to take from this season other than the fact that the manager still has some optimism,” he said. “You just hope he gets the support he needs to turn things around next season, because this one is a write-off.”