Soccer: No major overhaul needed, insists Neville

Phil Neville has echoed David Beckham’s claims that Manchester United’s Champions League disappointment does not make them a bad side.

United skipper Roy Keane stirred up a hornets’ nest when he claimed after the defeat to Bayern Munich that the Reds are an ‘‘average side’’ and may need rebuilding.

Neville disagrees and he claims seven Premier League titles in nine years is not the hallmark of a bad team.

‘‘We’ve won three titles in a row and seven in the last decade so the players who are here are not doing much wrong really,’’ he said.

Neville accepts it is inevitable that manager Sir Alex Ferguson will sign new players - and he has already clinched Ruud van Nistelrooy’s £19million transfer from PSV Eindhoven - but he believes the side does not need a major overhaul.

He cannot see what all the fuss is about and he said on MUTV: ‘‘In terms of bringing new faces in, that’s something the manager looks at every year and it’s no different this year.

‘‘We all know each year he will bring in a couple of new faces which keeps everyone on their toes.

‘‘I’ve never known speculation like it really about the numbers of players coming in and going. If you believe everything you read you would be getting yourself in real bother, but I don’t think it affects any of the lads.

‘‘I’m sure the manager will want to keep everybody.’’

Neville also denied that United had nothing left to play for in their remaining three Premiership games. He claims they want to win every game to try to emulate last-season’s 18-point winning margin.

‘‘We want to finish the league with as many points as possible,’’ he said. ‘‘We would love to finish 16 or 18 points clear again.’’