Gary Neville has been hugely critical of wantaway Manchester United star Jesse Lingard for expecting a huge farewell from the club as he nears the end of his contract.
United's end to what has been a bleak Premier League season took yet another decline in their last league outing when they were humiliated by a Brighton & Hove Albion side who beat them 4-0 at the Amex. The defeat ensured that the Red Devils could not qualify for the Champions League, while they could still be beaten to sixth spot by West Ham.
Neville has admitted that he feels huge overhaul is required, while also mocking Lingard's response to being denied an Old Trafford goodbye in United's last home game of the season last week. "The nonsense this week over Jesse Lingard," he bemoaned on the Gary Neville podcast.
"Jesse’s been at the club a long time, he’s done a good job for the club, but I saw Bryan Robson and Steve Bruce not play in their last games for the club and not get a send-off in Cup finals.
"One of them is probably the greatest captain Manchester United have ever had, and the other is one of the greatest captains Manchester United have ever had – and they didn’t get the send-offs they wanted, the farewell from the fans. I’m not quite sure why Jesse Lingard deserves it.
"I was basically thrown away at West Brom in a toilet! At the end of the day, sometimes it just doesn’t work out Jesse! This idea that they feel they’ve got a God-given right to get some minutes on the pitch, the way they’ve played, all of them."
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The 'nonsense' surrounding Lingard that Neville is referring to centres around an Instagram post uploaded by the player's brother Louie Scott. "20 years of blood sweat and tears, four domestic trophies, three cup final goals, not even a farewell. No wonder it's Conference League next year," he wrote on his private Instagram story.
Neville eventually turned his attention to United's wider fortunes, dubbing the club's recent run of form "an absolute disgrace". The former England international claimed: "It’s been a disgrace for a couple of months. I mean, they’re still not that many points off fourth place and I said a couple of months ago on this podcast that I felt Manchester United, if they got their act together [they could get fourth].
"What’s their record now? They’ve won three in 13? That’s an absolute disgrace. It’s absolutely embarrassing, the players in that dressing room and the cost of that dressing room."
