Sky Sports were forced into a hurried apology after Gary Neville was unwittingly caught aiming a dig at Leeds fan ahead of their Premier League opener against Everton.
The Manchester United legend was in the Sky studios for the Elland Road club’s return to the top flight on Monday night and miscalculated the duration of a commercial break, resulting in his jibe being broadcast live on air.
With video footage zoomed on on a group of home supporters, Neville could be heard saying: ‘That’s one group of fans I wouldn’t want to go near.’
Host Dave Jones tried to alert the former defender to his error, but the pair, along with former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, couldn’t help but chuckle at his blunder.
Jones nevertheless felt compelled to say: ‘I do have to apologise.’
Though, Neville showed his far from embarrassed by his hot mic moment and doubled down on supporters of the Red Devils’ bitter rivals.
After Neville had repeated his claim of not wanting to ‘go anywhere near’ Leeds fans, Jones diplomatically replied: ‘I don’t think they want you anywhere near, it’s fine.
‘They have been looking forward to this.’
Neville spent the entirety of his career with the Red Devils under Sir Alex Ferguson, competing in many heated battles against the Yorkshire club. And the 50-year-old named them among the clubs he would never have joined if he had been faced with the task of choosing his next landing spot after leaving Old Trafford.
‘If [Ferguson] come to me at say the age of 28, and told me my time was up, of course I would have played for another Premier League club.
‘Who would I have played for? You can rule out three: I’d have never have played for City, Liverpool or Leeds. Not in a million years. I don’t feel anything bad towards the players who did that, but me personally, I couldn’t have done it. The rivalry is just too much.’
Leeds supporters will care little for the incident, not only because, as Jones stated, the feeling is likely mutual, but because their side claimed victory at the first time of asking on their top-flight comeback.
Daniel Farke’s men thoroughly outplayed the Toffees but were made to wait until the 84th minute for their winner when new signing Lukas Nmecha expertly slotted his penalty beyond Jordan Pickford.
