Gary Neville: Man Utd are “unlikeable” to watch. (Image: SKY SPORTS)
has produced a scathing assessment of first match under against on Sunday. The Red Devils laboured to a 1-1 draw at Portman Road despite perfectly launching the Amorim era with an opening goal inside 80 seconds.
Familiar issues were expected, with players’ international duty limiting the new United head coach to just two training sessions at Carrington in the build-up.
But that didn’t stop Neville from ripping into the performance as he spoke to David Jones and Jamie Carragher in the Sky Sports studio before Monday Night Football.
“I mean, the red flags that were there yesterday have probably been there in the last few months and the last season and a half,” Neville told Sky Sports.
“It’s a team that is very difficult to actually like watching, and I say that with respect because I genuinely do believe what said at the end of the game.
“No football player goes out onto the pitch and wants to lose or doesn’t want to win or work hard or do well. They don’t want criticism.”
Neville expressed his concern that Ipswich – dwelling in 18th place in the with no home wins all season – looked like they were better coached than the visitors.
The former United defender continued: “But you watch them play, even yesterday, in the new system, and you look at Ipswich, who are very near the bottom of the league.
Ruben Amorim has lots of work to do. (Image: Getty)
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“They looked more organised, [like they had a] better coach, they looked like they had more appetite for the game and more enthusiasm.
“And that’s a constant, and it has been a constant, not just, obviously, on Sunday, but a constant for the last year and a half, two years, three years.
“So we’ve got a situation where these group of players, to be honest with you, have created a pattern for themselves and become what they are.
“And it wasn’t just a red flag yesterday because the same things that we’ve seen in the last six to eight months, 10 months, we saw yesterday.
“With being the manager, he saw it as well. I think he obviously knew how big a job this was. I think he recognised that yesterday.”
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However, despite his criticism, Neville accepted that Amorim was forced to field players against Ipswich who won’t fit his system in the long-term.
The Sky Sports pundit has backed United to improve under the Portuguese coach once more of his squad becomes available.
He concluded: “It will get better in the next few weeks because, like you say, that back five that he picks, and I’m not talking about the actual wing-backs here.
“I’m talking about the three at the back and the two in midfield. That will become more energetic and better when the personnel changes occur.
“But there’s a long way to go. I think Roy [Keane] yesterday said that were an average team, and that’s being kind.”