Gary Neville: Soft-centred Manchester United were bullied by Leicester

Posted Monday, September 22, 2014 by skysports.com

Manchester United: Couldn't live with Leicester's 'physicality'

Gary Neville has accused his former club Manchester United of being 'soft-centred' and 'bullied' by Leicester City in their 5-3 capitulation.

Louis van Gaal's side twice let their lead slip to the Premier League new boys after a second-half of shambolic defending at the King Power Stadium.

This defeat leaves United in 12th place in the Premier League with just one win this season, despite spending over £200million on players in the transfer window.

Sky Sports pundit and former Red Devils defender Gary Neville pointed the finger at the players on Super Sunday, branding them ‘not tough enough’.

"Going forward they're a lot better than they have been in the last 12-18months and that's a positive," said Neville.

"But in the first half, every ball that got played forward from distance a Leicester player won it, whether it was the first ball or the second ball. In the second half, a decision goes against them but make no mistake about it they're soft centred.

"There's no doubt Manchester United are soft-centred. They're not tough enough. Gary Neville: Soft-centred Manchester United were bullied by Leicester

"You saw out there today [in the Manchester City versus Chelsea match] that every time a ball went up to Diego Costa - he was getting battered by (Eliaquim) Mangala - and it was the same at the other end with John Terry and Gary Cahill.

"I thought the midfield three for United and the back four got bullied."

Ragged

"Credit to Leicester and (Jamie) Vardy and (Leonardo) Ulloa - they really ran them ragged. It wasn't intricate play or world class football, it was just hard work.

"Grit, hard work, with a bit of quality mixed in with it and United couldn't deal with the physicality of that team.

"Defensive organisation is one thing, but they've got to be more competitive than that and win battles and one-on-one duels, because they were soft-centred in that game.

"Even though things were going against them with a bad referring decision if you can't compete - you're playing away in the Premier League at Leicester - what did they expect?

"Have they not learned their lessons from the Everton game a few weeks ago? You've got to be psychical, you've got to stand up to your man and you've got to win headers, win your tackles and give them no encouragement - they didn't do that. Leicester got encouragement, I thought, in the first half not just the second half.

"Their three goals were brilliant, they were absolutely fantastic goals but, they're going to get done week in week out. That was a proper test for them today against Leicester."