Man Utd: Gary Neville says Hannibal Mejbri foul on Naby Keita made him ‘proud’ in Liverpool defeat
‘I wish the rest of them were the same’: Gary Neville ‘proud’ of Man United youngster Hannibal Mejbri for fouling Liverpool players in their defeat at Anfield… insisting he set an example for his older team-mates
- Manchester United suffered a 4-0 defeat away at Liverpool on Tuesday night
- Ralf Rangnick’s men were outclassed by the Reds on a miserable night at Anfield
- But Gary Neville could at least draw one positive from his former club’s display
- He was delighted with the work rate of teenager Hannibal Mejbri off the bench
- Mejbri was booked for giving away two fouls, but Neville was ‘proud’ of his effort
Gary Neville claimed he was ‘proud’ to see Manchester United youngster Hannibal Mejbri show some fight by smashing into Jordan Henderson and Naby Keita during their 4-0 defeat away at Liverpool.
United were torn apart by the Reds on Tuesday night, falling two goals behind in the first 22 minutes at Anfield when Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah opened the scoring.
Sadio Mane then made it 3-0 in the 68th minute before Salah added his second and Liverpool’s fourth late on, capping a miserable evening for Ralf Rangnick’s men.
However, Neville was able to draw one positive from an otherwise disappointing outing for his old club, pointing to Mejbri as a source of pride on the night.
Gary Neville claimed he was ‘proud’ of Hannibal Mejbri in Man Utd’s defeat away at Liverpool
The 19-year-old, who came off the bench with six minutes remaining, flew into tackles and gave away fouls for challenges on Henderson and Keita.
He picked up a booking in the process, but after the game Neville heaped praise on Mejbri for at least making an effort.
‘It takes a young kid to come on and show the rest of them how to sprint for the ball and put a challenge in,’ he said on commentary for Sky Sports.
‘I’m actually proud of him! Maybe he doesn’t like the idea of Liverpool players passing it round him. I wish the rest of them were the same.’
Mejbri flew into tackles and was booked after coming on with six minutes to go at Anfield
Neville was full of praise for the teenager, insisting he set an example for his team-mates
Neville then added: ‘The kid showed something that he didn’t like the idea of Liverpool taking the mickey out of his team-mates. At least he showed something.
‘It wasn’t great him kicking players but that’s something Man United fans can take at least. There were some lads out there who are good lads, professional, but they’re broken.
‘[Bruno] Fernandes is a good player, there’s some decent players out there. They’ve played at good levels. But they’re broken, finished, done this season.’
United are now trailing 9-0 in their head-to-head record with Liverpool this season, having also been thrashed 5-0 by their bitter rivals at Old Trafford earlier in the campaign.
Yet for Neville, Tuesday’s latest mauling was one of the lowest moments of his association with the club.
The ex-United defender said: ‘I’ve been watching Man United for 42 years and this is as bad as it gets honestly.
‘[I] watched them through the 80s. I’ve never seen a group have a lack of appetite to play during my time watching the club.’
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