United players keep eye on ball
His comments come amid increased speculation yesterday that a resolution between Magnier and Ferguson has been reached, and will be outlined later in the week.
Neville, in Cork with Old Trafford colleague Nicky Butt as guests of the local branch of the United Supporters Club and Glounthane United for a gala charity function in aid of St Oliver's Ward, St Finbarr's Hospital, said the players were unaware of any problems affecting the United manager outside of Old Trafford.
"I don't think it has had any impact on the team. People talk about things happening off the field. But if you are one of the 20 players in the Manchester United first team squad who runs out onto the pitch there is nothing that happens off the pitch that will affect us on the pitch, we are very professional about that.
"I never saw any director, shareholder, or chairman clear a ball off the goal-line or knock one in the back of the net for us.
"The manager protects us brilliantly from outside influences and whatever happens off the pitch has nothing to do with us, we just play football and that is all that matters."
Neville was also critical of the theatrical antics of some Porto players during last week's Champions League defeat in Portugal, and suggested that the reaction of keeper, Vitor Baia, contributed to the dismissal of Roy Keane.
"I don't think if he had behaved as we expect men to behave in football that Roy would have been sent off. If Baia had just got up, I think the referee would have waved it away.
"Unfortunately the linesman waved his flag and Roy was sent off for violent conduct in no way was that violent. It was harsh. He vaulted over him in the middle of his running stride and it was just one of those things."
Neville admitted he was "stunned" when the official produced a red card for his colleague and captain, leading to a suspension that will keep him out of the return leg next week.
"It is always difficult playing without Roy because obviously he is a big influence on the team. But we've had to do it in the past and while you never like missing great players, it happens with suspensions, injuries and things like that do occur. And it is part of football and you have to accept it."
On the possibility of Keane donning the Republic of Ireland jersey again, Neville maintained:
"That is strictly for Roy Keane to decide. I don't think I should be deciding what an experienced 32or 33-year-old Manchester United captain should be doing with his career. That is for Roy, not Gary Neville."
The England right back is missing through suspension from United's much maligned back four, and revealed: "It probably annoys me more now than it did at the time of the incident with Steve McManaman, because I am missing matches when I want to be playing.
"That's always the case, but particularly at this moment, we all need to be fit, free of suspension, free of injury to try and get where we want to be in the League, in the Champions League and in the FA Cup."
He accepted that arch rivals Arsenal were now clear favourites to win the Premiership but insisted: "We will never give up, we will always play for every point, but Arsenal are nine points clear with only 10 or 11 matches to go and with the form that they're in, we're hoping that somewhere or other, there is a chink in their armour and that something happens for us like we win a match while they're losing.
"We play them at Highbury on March 28th but we may need them to lose a match before that, so we can get a little bit closer to them and apply some pressure.
"It is obvious we've got to win our own games, that's the main thing. Five or six weeks ago, we were on top of the league and now we're nine points behind that's how quickly it can change.
"Therefore it can also change the other way and that's something we have experienced in the past. However we certainly need an Arsenal slip up along the way."
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