Pundit Neville on an upward curve

THERE has not been a Manchester United player over the past 20 years who has got under the skins of Liverpool fans more than Gary Neville.

From running halfway across the Old Trafford pitch to kiss his badge in front of the away fans after Rio Ferdinanad’s last-minute winner in 2005, to stating that “I can’t stand Liverpool, I can’t stand Liverpool people, I can’t stand anything about them,” in an interview with a United fanzine, Neville and Liverpool have what might best be called a ‘strained relationship’.

But even with Neville’s retirement, Scousers can’t escape the Bury-born ex-defender as he has now got his feet firmly under the table as the new ‘Andy Gray’ at Sky Sports.

Saturday’s clash between Liverpool and United, then, gave Neville the chance to pass judgement on the old enemy without fear of retribution in the form of a studs-up Jamie Carragher tackle.

He may well hate the former kingpins of English football but there is no doubt the eight-time Premier League winner also clearly respects what Liverpool stand for.

“When you come to Anfield these fans can be brutal. If there is a weakness in a player or a team they’ll go for you. Liverpool have overrun United these last three years here, no doubt about it.’’

However, it was only after the game that Neville’s true feelings began to bubble to the surface.

When fellow pundit Jamie Redknapp insisted that Rio Ferdinand should have been sent off for his trip on Charlie Adam that led to Liverpool’s opener, Neville turned the spotlight on the officials.

“That’s going on the theory that every foul is a booking nowadays. Look, next week he’ll be sent off [for such a foul], this week he wasn’t. There isn’t a level of consistency.”

He also refused to accept that Jonny Evans’ handball should have been a penalty. “I don’t think Kenny [Dalglish] would want that given against him down the other end.”

But when asked if he could see Liverpool challenging United for the title, Neville could only offer a small crumb of comfort: “I think they’re quite a bit off to be honest. They need more investment on players but they are going in the right direction.”

After Saturday’s showing perhaps even die-hard Liverpool fans would agree that Neville the pundit is too.