Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville identifies the two culprits in Thursday’s defeat at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur.
After reaching the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup, many fans and observers had pinpointed the Carabao Cup as the Red Devils’ most plausible track to silverware this season. However, their hopes were tattered in North London on Thursday, as they fell short against the Spurs in a thrilling seven-goal contest filled with defensive blunders.
Ange Postecoglou’s men appeared to have the contest wrapped thanks to a three-goal cushion, but a couple of mistakes from Fraser Forster allowed Man United back in.
But just when a memorable comeback was seemingly brewing, Altay Buyindir conceded a goal from a direct corner kick, much to the delight of Son Heung-min and his teammates.
Therefore, Johny Evans’ 94th-minute goal proved too little too late for the visitors, who succumbed to a 3-4 defeat.
For his part, Neville blames Buyindir and Lisandro Martinez for his club’s Carabao Cup elimination.
Gary Neville sheds light on the blunders of two Man United players against Spurs
The 49-year-old insists that Ruben Amorim and his technical staff can do little when a goalkeeper concedes from a corner direct kick or when a defender sets up the ball for the opposition attacker, in reference to Spurs’ second goal when Dejan Kulusevski took advantage of Martinez’s poor clearance.
“I have to say the clearance from Lisandro Martinez is quite simply appalling. To play that straight to Kulusevski,” said Neville during his appearance on Sky Sports.
“He’s been let down by two poor mistakes, Ruben Amorim. He really has. You can talk about structure, shape, patterns tactics, but if your goalkeeper parries one out into the centre of the box and your centre back flicks one with the outside of his left boot…it’s a wimpish clearance.” concluded the retired right-back.