Gary Neville has slammed Manchester United for an ‘unforgivable’ lack of investment in Old Trafford - adding that Anfield is set to become a more modern ground in the next year.
The former Red Devils right-back has been vocal in his criticism of the much-maligned Glazer family for their chronic under-funding since taking over with a leveraged buyout in 2003. The latter half of their stint in charge has seen the club reach its lowest point in Premier League history, with a broken and beaten stadium reflecting the 11 on the pitch.
That same period has seen Manchester United’s two greatest rivals, Liverpool and Manchester City, propel English football to new levels with shrewd investment, smart recruitment and world-class managers. And former Red Devils captain Neville has said it is ‘unforgivable’ that his side have fallen behind the Reds across the board.
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“I used to laugh when I went to Anfield and compared it to Old Trafford,” he said on Steven Bartlett's The Diary Of A CEO podcast . “I'd always think ‘they can never catch up, they're too far behind.’
“They're building that second stand now behind the goal where the away fans sit. The main stand now is towering up. Anfield will be a more modern ground than Manchester United and Old Trafford in 12 months. That is unforgivable.
“In 20 years, Manchester United have not invested in the stadium, and they've not invested in the training ground that much. It's a club that's really struggling. And I've said in the last couple of years that the only thing I think can change it now is the ownership. There is an embedded rot at the club.”
Neville sits alongside Manchester United fans in his viewpoint that the Glazer family must sell the club for such changes to be implemented, and those fans - disillusioned by a chaotic recruitment policy off the pitch and some woeful performances on it - are set to protest against the ownership before Monday night’s game against Liverpool.
Reports earlier this week suggested the American family may be willing to sell a minority stake in the club, with billionaire Ineos owner and boyhood Manchester United fan Sir Jim Ratcliffe the latest to announce his interest in in buying a stake in the club and subsequently taking full control in the future.
Similarly to Manchester United, Jurgen Klopp’s side go into the game at Old Trafford without a win from their opening two games. But while the Reds have largely performed well and picked up two draws, Erik Ten Hag’s side were well-beaten by Brighton and then humiliated at Brentford last weekend.
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