Manchester United have bigger issues to worry about than their recent mauling at the hands of Liverpool, according to one pundit.
The Red Devils were thrashed 4-2 by their arch-rivals at Old Trafford on Sunday, with Jurgen Klopp’s side running riot in the second half.
It was a result that highlighted the gulf between the two sides, with Liverpool now 22 points clear at the top of the Premier League table.
But according to former United defender Gary Neville, the result was not the biggest concern for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Neville said: “The result was bad, but it’s not the biggest concern for Manchester United.
“The biggest concern is that they’re not going to win the Premier League until they fix the issues that they have.
“They’ve got to get the recruitment right, they’ve got to get the coaching right, they’ve got to get the mentality right.
“They’ve got to get the culture right, they’ve got to get the leadership right.
“They’ve got to get the structure right, they’ve got to get the scouting right.
“They’ve got to get the academy right, they’ve got to get the training ground right.
“They’ve got to get the medical side right, they’ve got to get the sports science right.
“They’ve got to get the commercial side right, they’ve got to get the marketing right.
“They’ve got to get the fan engagement right, they’ve got to get the stadium right.
“They’ve got to get the ownership right, they’ve got to get the board right.
“They’ve got to get the whole thing right.
“That’s the biggest concern for Manchester United, not the result against Liverpool.”
Neville’s comments come after United’s dismal performance against Liverpool, which saw them concede four goals in the second half.
The result has left United in fifth place in the Premier League table, nine points behind fourth-placed Chelsea.
It is clear that United have a lot of work to do if they are to challenge for the title next season, and Neville’s comments highlight the scale of the task facing Solskjaer and his team.
The Norwegian will need to address a number of issues if he is to turn United into title contenders, and it will be interesting to see how he goes about doing that in the coming months.
