Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville has slammed the “robotic” nature of football, claiming that the excitement has been taken away from a number of matches in the modern game.
Man United and Manchester City played out a drab goalless draw in England’s top flight on Sunday afternoon, and it will go down as one of the most uneventful derby matches of all time.
Neville said that the contest encapsulated the problem that modern-day football is facing, with the excitement lacking across the board.
“I think the congratulations and love-in that I’m watching says both teams are happy with a 0-0. The best Man City and Man United teams would be very disappointed with the way they’ve approached the end of that game,” Neville told Sky Sports News.
“It looks like it’s Sunday afternoon and they’re going to go for a roast dinner together now. They’re micromanaged to an inch of their lives, so robotic and it’s symptomatic of a lot of games that we’re watching nowadays.
“I’m disappointed, it’s a Manchester derby, it should have more blood, thunder, and risk and courage involved in playing the game and winning the game than that.”
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Man United, Man City shared the points in a drab goalless draw
Man United entered the match off the back of a 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest on Tuesday night, while Man City were 2-0 winners over Leicester City last time out, but neither side could find a winner on Sunday afternoon.
Man City’s fall-off has also been spectacular this term, with the reigning champions down in fifth spot in the Premier League table, picking up only 52 points from 31 matches, which has left them 21 points behind leaders Liverpool.
The Citizens are locked in a battle to qualify for next season’s Champions League; Man United will not be securing top-level European action next term via the league, but they would qualify by winning the Europa League.
Ruben Amorim‘s side will head to Lyon on Thursday night for the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final, before the return fixture takes place at Old Trafford on April 17.
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Has there been a lack of quality in the Premier League this season?
Liverpool are 11 points clear of second-placed Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table, with the Reds only losing twice in England’s top flight this term, but there have been question marks surrounding their quality this season.
The fact that Nottingham Forest are third is also telling; the team deserve huge praise, but Man City have been so disappointing, while Chelsea are also far from an elite team but sit up in fourth.
Man United and Tottenham are 13th and 14th respectively, while Southampton’s relegation from the top flight has been confirmed with seven games to go, which is far from ideal when considering the exciting nature of the Premier League.
Neville certainly has a point, with a lack of true magicians existing in the world of football at this moment in time, and football has to be careful that it does not reach a point of no return.
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