“I’d be curled up in a ball”: Gary Neville tears into Man United star after Chelsea debacle

Gary Neville delivered a scathing critique of Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez following United's 2-0 defeat to Chelsea. The loss was particularly embarrassing for United, who had shown promise in the first half before completely unraveling in the second. Neville's ire was directed at Martinez, who was notably responsible for the first goal conceded and was later booked for a second yellow card.

Neville stated, "Lisandro Martinez? That’s what I expect from him, to be honest with you. I said the other week – and you’ve got to respect he is a World Cup winner – but every time I watch him for Manchester United he is at fault for a goal." His assessment was scathing: "If I was giving away the goals that he is giving away, I wouldn’t be doing interviews.

To be fair, I wouldn’t be speaking out, because I have to say, I would be curled up in a ball, playing like that for Manchester United." Neville's criticism didn't stop at Martinez; he also lambasted the overall performance of the team. He claimed that United's defense crumbled under pressure, and the team as a whole often crumbled when they conceded a goal.

Neville admitted that while every defender loses goals occasionally, Martinez's were "remarkable" in quantity. He warned that United's defense is not strong enough to withstand the pressure of upcoming tough matches. Neville remarked, "we all give goals away as defenders, but the quantity of goals he gives away is remarkable. And that defence is nowhere near good enough and it falls apart every time it is put under big pressure."

He also noted that while relegation is unlikely, United faces several challenging fixtures ahead. "Roma could do that on Tuesday, Aston Villa next weekend are very organised, [they] know how to play. After that, they come to Anfield. There are a lot of big games in front for Manchester United in these next few weeks, but it’s really worrying."