Gary Neville slams Man Utd flop and says ‘we’re not being harsh enough’

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Manchester United legend Gary Neville has torn into flop Anthony Martial – saying criticism of him "hasn't been harsh enough".

Martial was afforded a rare start by Erik ten Hag as the Red Devils welcomed Newcastle to Old Trafford for their Carabao Cup fourth-round clash. The Frenchman's United career started promisingly following his arrival from Monaco in 2015.

But repeated injuries, which have caused him to miss a total of 79 matches according to transfermarkt, curtailed that. And aside from a six-month loan to Sevilla last year, there's been little interest in the now 27-year-old.

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Speaking on Sky Sports before kick-off, Neville reflected on Martial's eight-plus year stay at the club – and he didn't hold back. “Sometimes I ask myself the question, when you walk away from a broadcast like Sunday, ‘are we being too harsh?’,” he began.

“But when you hear that stat that a guy has been at the club nine years – a goalscorer that cost £50m, £60m, £70m – has scored basically 89 goals in nine years and we still can't get him out of the club, I don't think we are being too harsh. I don't think we're being harsh enough."

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Perhaps realising the scathing nature of his rant, Neville then reined in his criticism a touch, continuing: “The failings of the football department and recruitment is just absolutely incredible.

"Look, they're human beings at the end of the day and Martial, no one wants to go on the pitch and play badly or not achieve their standards. Nobody wants to be injured.

“So I accept all those factors, but the reality is there is no way he should still be at Man United leading the line in any competition, even the Carabao Cup.

"It's just where the club is at the moment, they don't have a centre forward apart from [Rasmus] Hojlund who I think has real promise but he needs some experience up alongside him."

Like Martial did, Hojlund has shown early signs of promise following his £72m transfer from Atalanta in the summer transfer window. But Neville fears he's not going to develop as quickly as he could because of his predecessor's failings.

"I was saying earlier on today actually, if Hojlund came into Manchester United and his partner was Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke or Eric Cantona, I think you would be seeing a sensation because the pressure would be off him," he added.

"But he’s coming in the club and he’s being asked to be the real thing. I feel for him a little bit, but I don’t feel for Anthony Martial because he has been here a long time.."

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