Gary Neville believes Erik ten Hag's lack of a consistent playing style or identity was his biggest failure at Manchester United and expects another painful rebuild at Old Trafford.

Ten Hag was sacked after just over two years at the helm on Monday, in the wake of Sunday's demoralising 2-1 defeat at West Ham.

That loss left United 14th in the Premier League table with just 11 points from nine matches. Only under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 2019-20 (10) have they had fewer at this stage of a campaign.

Former United right-back Neville, who defended Ten Hag when his position was questioned following an eighth-place finish last term, now concedes the Dutchman failed to oversee any significant progress in terms of results or style.

Asked whether Ten Hag should have departed in pre-season, when he instead penned a new contract, Neville told Sky Sports: "Those that felt it should have happened will feel they've been proven right.

"However, there were hundreds of thousands, even millions, of fans who wanted to continue with Ten Hag, to give him a chance to succeed under a new structure.

"The shock for me has been how bad they've been with the new signings coming in, with Ten Hag having some stability. To be 14th is unacceptable with that level of spend.

"I think the lack of identity or style has been a real mystery for the last two and a half seasons.

"Even though the recruitment has been awful at times, I do believe there's a group of players there that can play a lot better than they are, if you put an identity into them.

"Yesterday I was shocked to see Casemiro and Christian Eriksen in midfield with [Manuel] Ugarte on the bench. If I was an owner, I'd be asking questions around that.

"It's a real struggle watching United play and that hasn't changed in 18 months, that's been as big a problem as the results."

United struggled for control throughout Ten Hag's reign, with their 136 expected goals against (xGA) since the start of 2022-23 the fifth-worst figure of all ever-present Premier League clubs.

They have also underperformed their underlying attacking figures by a greater margin than any other top-flight team this term, scoring eight times from 14.56 xG.

United also faced 1,739 shots in their 128 games under Ten Hag. Since 2022-23, Manchester City have faced 717 fewer shots than the Red Devils despite playing six more games in that time.

Former United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, who was appointed as an assistant to Ten Hag in July, will now take charge on an interim basis.

Neville, however, does not expect much to change in the short term and feels no player should be guaranteed a place when the club appoints a permanent successor.

"He could set the team up differently, but he's been on the bench with Ten Hag so I'd be amazed if something drastic happened," Neville said of his former team-mate. 

"A lot of work needs to be done with those players. Erik ten Hag couldn't get performances out of them and a lot of those players are his players.

"They're not good enough but they are better than 14th, they're probably better than sixth. The new manager that comes in should probably be made to work with these players for seven or eight months to work them out, to figure out who they want to keep close."

Gary Neville believes the FA have "serious questions to answer" following the appointment of Thomas Tuchel as England's new head coach.

The German has been named as Gareth Southgate's successor after signing an 18-month contract with the Three Lions, which will begin on January 1, with interim boss Lee Carsley overseeing the remainder of the ongoing Nations League campaign.

A Champions League winner with Chelsea and league title winner with Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich, Tuchel becomes only the third non-English coach to take charge of the national side after Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello.

Neville, who was capped 85 times by the Three Lions between 1995 and 2007, is in no doubt of the quality the 51-year-old will bring to the role.

However, the former defender believes the FA have acted on instinct by giving the job to an international manager, whilst overlooking the likes of Eddie Howe and Graham Potter.

"They probably got the best available coach in the world at this moment in time," Neville told Sky Sports News. "Fitting that criteria, they are absolutely spot on.

"I am not sure if it meets the criteria of St George's Park and the belief in English coaches, and the growth in the English teams' performances over the last few years.

"Not just the men's, but the women's and the youth teams as well. St George's Park was going to be a hotbed of proving that English coaches could get back to the top of European football.

"It doesn't feel like a strategic decision, it feels like an instinctive one off the back of what's happened in the last two weeks.

"Everybody in our country, including myself, will wish him all the best and hope we can get over the line and win a trophy, but I think there are some serious questions for the FA to answer in respect of English coaching.

"I do think we are damaging ourselves by accepting Thomas Tuchel is better than any of the other English coaches. We are in a rut when it comes to English coaching.

"English coaching is one of the least respected big nations in Europe when it comes to taking charge of a football team. Spanish, German, Italian, Portuguese coaches are renowned for their styles of play, for their philosophy.

"We don't have a clear identity as an English nation of what we are any more. We haven't built a style, we haven't got a coach who's built a style that's unique to us."

England reached successive European Championship finals under Gareth Southgate, but suffered heartbreaking defeats at the hands of Italy and Spain.

And former Three Lions captain Alan Shearer - in contrast to Neville - thinks the FA have done the right thing by hiring a proven winner in a bid to end the nation's long wait for silverware.

"We need a trophy - it's as simple as that. We need a manager who can deliver that," Shearer told The Rest Is Football podcast.

"There's no doubt [Tuchel] has an incredible CV, but this is going to be a very different test for him. It's a bold move from the FA, there's no doubt about it.

"You have to win the tournament, that's what he's been hired for. They [the FA] have seen the bunch of players are the best England have had for a long, long time."

Gary Neville believes Manchester United bought Erik ten Hag time with their 0-0 draw against Aston Villa, but is not sure how much.

United are winless in their last five games in all competitions, with their stalemate at Villa Park the fourth draw in that run, having also lost 3-0 to Tottenham in their last home match.

Ten Hag's side have won just three of their opening 10 matches in all competitions, while their eight points in the league cements their worst-ever start to a Premier League season.

Only 19th-place Southampton (four) have netted fewer goals than United (five) in the competition so far, while only in 1972-73 (four) have the Red Devils ever netted fewer in their first seven matches of a top-flight campaign.

Against a Villa side who beat Bayern Munich in their last outing before this meeting, a draw could be seen as a good result, but Neville believes that shows the "low bar" the team is currently working with.

"It's a small step forward," Neville told Sky Sports. "Before the game, if you offered any Man Utd fan, player or coach a draw, then they would have snapped your hand off.

"That's where, at the end of the game, when you see Erik ten Hag's interview, there's an element of relief because it keeps the wolves at bay for a couple of weeks at least. It gives them a little bit more time.

"I don't think anybody who thought a major incident would happen after the game thought it would happen with a draw. They always thought it would need to be a difficult day or difficult defeat like it was last week against Tottenham. I think it buys Ten Hag a little bit of time.

"It's Manchester United's worst start in Premier League history so we can't celebrate. When we're thinking it's a decent point when you draw at Villa, it tells you how far Villa have come - but it also tells you how low the bar is for United in this moment in time."

Ten Hag, who signed a new contract in the off-season, continues to insist that he has the backing of the club's hierarchy despite the less-than-stellar start to the campaign.

However, the pressure is starting to pile on the manager once more, with United failing to score in each of their last three Premier League games, equalling their worst run without a goal in the competition under the Dutchman (also a run of three in both December 2023 and April 2023).

While Neville does not think the club will rush into a decision on Ten Hag's future, he admits they might have to if things have not changed by the November international break.

"The club did make the decision to keep Ten Hag in the summer, so they won't want to reverse that decision within the first six or seven games," Neville added.

"They have just got to hope [something happens] in this next couple of weeks - through maybe a reset, some thinking time, some planning.

"Manchester United fans, coaches, players have talked about this new structure that surrounds Ten Hag, it needs to go to work quite quickly in the next few weeks.

"If the next international break comes around and Manchester United are still in that 13th, 14th position in the league, I think there's going to be a lot of pressure.

"The next few weeks are critical in making sure they can somehow get some momentum for the rest of the season so that Ten Hag can keep his job."

Erik ten Hag is not thinking about the possibility that Manchester United will sack him after their dreadful start to the season continued with Sunday's 3-0 loss to Tottenham.

United suffered yet another humiliating Old Trafford defeat on matchday six, with Brennan Johnson, Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke scoring in a routine win for Spurs, while the Red Devils saw captain Bruno Fernandes sent off shortly before half-time.

Ten Hag's side were also beaten 3-0 by Liverpool on their last home Premier League outing, making this the first time they have lost back-to-back home league games without scoring since November 2021.

Those two matches – a 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Liverpool and a 2-0 loss to Manchester City – proved to be Ole Gunnar Solksjaer's final home games in charge.

Meanwhile, United's seven points are their joint-fewest after six games of any Premier League season (two wins, one draw, three losses), having made identical starts under David Moyes in 2013-14 and Solskjaer in 2020-21.

Despite speculation over his future continuing to grow, Ten Hag – who signed a new contract in pre-season – is not worried he will suffer the same fate as his predecessors.

Asked in his post-match press conference if he was worried about his future, Ten Hag said: "No, I am not thinking about this. 

"We all made this decision to stay together, as an ownership, as a leadership group in the summer, also we made decisions from a clear review about what we have to improve and how we want to construct a squad.

"But we knew it would take some time... how the window went, some players came in late like [Manuel] Ugarte. 

"Also, we have to make some improvements in our organisation, we have some injuries, we need some time.

"We are all on one page or in one boat together, the ownership, the staff and the players as well. I don't have that concern."

United fell behind to Johnson's opener within just 155 seconds, the earliest they have conceded in the Premier League since August 2023 versus Nottingham Forest (88 seconds).

Having gone 2-0 down within two minutes of the restart, United conceded in the first three minutes of both halves in a single Premier League match for just the second time, also doing so against Leeds United in February 2023.

Spurs generated a huge expected goals (xG) figure of 4.59 on Sunday – the third-highest United have allowed a Premier League opponent since such records began in 2009.

Only versus Arsenal in December 2017 (a 3-1 win) and against City in October 2011 (an infamous 6-1 loss at Old Trafford), have United given up a greater quality of chances in a Premier League match.

Speaking in his role as a Sky Sports pundit, former United defender Gary Neville slammed their performance, saying: "Today has shocked me, how low they've gone. It was a really bad one.

"I know that David Moyes had some bad ones in the early days, so has Ole along the way, Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho and Ralf Rangnick... but that felt like one of those days where they sank really low. It's one of the worst performances I have seen under Ten Hag. And that is saying something. It is really bad."

Manchester United may soon lose patience with manager Erik ten Hag after another humbling by Liverpool, Red Devils' great Gary Neville said on Sunday.

Former defender Neville believes the Dutchman may only have until Christmas at Old Trafford to turn around what has been another disappointing start to the Premier League season.

United were crushed 3-0 at home to Liverpool as Mohamed Salah scored one and assisted both goals of Luis Diaz's first-half brace on the red side of Manchester.

Ten Hag is the only United manager to lose three Premier League home games by three or more goals in the space of a year, also suffering 3-0 defeats to Manchester City in October and Bournemouth in December last year.

"It's going to be a challenging week or so for Ten Hag just to get around the fact that there will be some pressure building," Neville said on Sky Sports.

"But I think he will get until Christmas. There's no doubt about that. There's no doubt that INEOS and Dan Ashworth the chief executive, who has got a sense of calm about him – the [former Manchester] City chief executive [Omar Berrada] and Dave Brailsford and those people, are not just going to do something stupid.

"Within three or four months, they have made the decision to keep him. They will get four or five months. What they can't be is mid-table come Christmas, but he is going to get a few months, there's no doubt about that."

Fellow pundit Jamie Carragher rebuffed, responding "I would be surprised if he is still in charge at the end of the season", and if results continue this way, United's hand may be forced with Ten Hag.

The former Ajax boss is also the only United manager to lose two of the three opening matches in a Premier League season on two separate occasions.

"It was a sobering day for Erik ten Hag, his players and for the new ownership sat in the stand en masse, looking at it and thinking whether they're on the right path," Neville continued.

"He's been influenced to change his team and his staff in the summer as he's brought two new coaches in. That isn't always ideal as there is new messaging coming in. There's a lot of change at the club so there was going to be a bit of pain along the way in interfering with the Glazer ownership.

"We're seeing that today and it's not going to change quickly. It's a sobering day but one that requires some calm."

Casemiro was removed at half-time, having played a woeful pass in the build-up to Diaz's opener amid a torrid first half.

Despite his early exit, the Brazil midfielder lost possession 14 times, with Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui only doing so more often for United (16 each) and both playing the full game.

"Manchester United fans don't often boo," Neville added on the jeers for Ten Hag, Casemiro and under-fire Marcus Rashford. "They don't often boo the manager, they don't often boo substitutions, they don't often boo players individually. And there's been a couple of times today [where they have].

"They will boo, generally, a performance at half-time when the players are going off if they're losing 2-0. But ordinarily, they don't take out individuals and a couple of times today they have. Casemiro in the first half and then obviously referring to Rashford with that boo."

Manchester United may soon lose patience with manager Erik ten Hag after another humbling by Liverpool, Red Devils' great Gary Neville said on Sunday.

Former defender Neville believes the Dutchman may only have until Christmas at Old Trafford to turn around what has been another disappointing start to the Premier League season.

United were crushed 3-0 at home to Liverpool as Mohamed Salah scored one and assisted both goals of Luis Diaz's first-half brace on the red side of Manchester.

Ten Hag is the only United manager to lose three Premier League home games by three or more goals in the space of a year, also suffering 3-0 defeats to Manchester City in October and Bournemouth in December last year.

"It's going to be a challenging week or so for Ten Hag just to get around the fact that there will be some pressure building," Neville said on Sky Sports.

"But I think he will get until Christmas. There's no doubt about that. There's no doubt that INEOS and Dan Ashworth the chief executive, who has got a sense of calm about him – the [former Manchester] City chief executive [Omar Berrada] and Dave Brailsford and those people, are not just going to do something stupid.

"Within three or four months, they have made the decision to keep him. They will get four or five months. What they can't be is mid-table come Christmas, but he is going to get a few months, there's no doubt about that."

Fellow pundit Jamie Carragher rebuffed, responding "I would be surprised if he is still in charge at the end of the season", and if results continue this way, United's hand may be forced with Ten Hag.

The former Ajax boss is also the only United manager to lose two of the three opening matches in a Premier League season on two separate occasions.

"It was a sobering day for Erik ten Hag, his players and for the new ownership sat in the stand en masse, looking at it and thinking whether they're on the right path," Neville continued.

"He's been influenced to change his team and his staff in the summer as he's brought two new coaches in. That isn't always ideal as there is new messaging coming in. There's a lot of change at the club so there was going to be a bit of pain along the way in interfering with the Glazer ownership.

"We're seeing that today and it's not going to change quickly. It's a sobering day but one that requires some calm."

Casemiro was removed at half-time, having played a woeful pass in the build-up to Diaz's opener amid a torrid first half.

Despite his early exit, the Brazil midfielder lost possession 14 times, with Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui only doing so more often for United (16 each) and both playing the full game.

"Manchester United fans don't often boo," Neville added on the jeers for Ten Hag, Casemiro and under-fire Marcus Rashford. "They don't often boo the manager, they don't often boo substitutions, they don't often boo players individually. And there's been a couple of times today [where they have].

"They will boo, generally, a performance at half-time when the players are going off if they're losing 2-0. But ordinarily, they don't take out individuals and a couple of times today they have. Casemiro in the first half and then obviously referring to Rashford with that boo."

Gary Neville praised Liverpool head coach Arne Slot for his ruthless approach in their win against Ipswich Town on Saturday. 

Slot, who was taking charge of his first competitive fixture as the new Reds boss, watched on as his side struggled in their Premier League opener at Portman Road.

Liverpool registered an expected goals (xG) total of 0.09 from their three shots on target, winning 47.4% of the 97 duels they contested in the opening 45 minutes. 

The Dutchman chose to withdraw Jarell Quansah for Ibrahima Konate at half-time, with his side improving after the break as Diogo Jota and Mohamed Salah struck to secure the triumph. 

Quansah won four of his eight contested duels, while also being successful in two of his four aerial duels, something Slot said was a key factor in his substitution. 

"The first thing I said (at half-time) is that we don't need to speak about tactics if you lose so many duels," Slot told TNT Sports. 

"And that's what we did, not that Jarell (Quansah) lost every duel - many of us lost too many duels but I think we needed Konate to win these long balls through the air from their number nine."

Speaking on the Gary Neville Podcast after Manchester City's 2-0 win over Chelsea on Sunday, the former defender delivered his verdict on the decision. 

"I thought Arne Slot was quite tough on Quansah," he said. "It is [a big call]. I mean subbing someone at half-time is big and I do not think it is done lightly by managers.

"It was the way after the game as well, he was quite blunt about the way he answered it and there was no holding back.

"So, I think there is an element of him being quite clinical and brutal and he was reacting to the game and what was happening.

"He felt like they needed to win the duels, that was his main thought behind the decision.

"It worked, you have to say, Liverpool were a lot better in the second half and it was a good win for them."

England suffered another familiar failing in the Euro 2024 final as Gary Neville was left fed up with every Three Lions manager referencing the same struggles in possession.

Gareth Southgate acknowledged his side did not keep the ball well against Spain, who triumphed 2-1 in Berlin thanks to Mikel Oyarzabal's late winner on Sunday.

England managed just a 34.9% share of possession in the showpiece, losing the ball 98 times across the team and completing only 66.5% of passes in Spain's half.

Former England full-back Neville cut a frustrated figure on ITV pundit duties, blasting a repeated struggle for the Three Lions' shortcomings.

"We can focus on a lot of things, but Southgate's answer on how we did not keep the ball well enough should be the title of the England book," Neville said.

"Every single England manager has said the same thing, every single England player has felt the same thing because we have lived it out there on the pitch and our legs have gone, and we end up dying on our feet in the latter part of games where the other team have got stronger.

"It is repeat, rinse and repeat."

Southgate became the first manager in history to lose two European Championship finals, with his future uncertain after the tournament due to his contract expiring in December.

"It's a big question, something doesn't sit right inside me talking about Gareth's future right now after what he's done in the last seven or eight years," Neville added.

"I would think he'll take a long, hard look in the next week and decide whether it's the right time. 

"The sentiment in this tournament has been tough for him at times, he's called it an unusual environment earlier in the competition."

Nico Williams had opened the scoring immediately after the interval before Cole Palmer equalised with 17 minutes remaining. 

Substitute Palmer impressed from the bench, where Ollie Watkins was also introduced after Harry Kane's struggles continued.

Kane had just one touch in the opposition box across the Euro 2020 and 2024 finals, one fewer than Jack Grealish, who played just 21 minutes against Italy and did not make the squad for this tournament.

"England got back into it, but we could have been 2-0 down before that and to not control the biggest games has been a problem for England teams in many, many tournaments," Neville continued.

"And to have to play from behind the ball and move your whole team up the pitch from the edge of your box to the other end of the pitch is very difficult.

"You can win the odd game doing that, you can win two or three games, but eventually you play a team with too much quality and that is what we found tonight."

Harry Kane is England's greatest ever player and a certainty to start Sunday's Euro 2024 final versus Spain, says former Three Lions defender Gary Neville.

Kane has scored three goals to help England to a second straight Euros final, including an equaliser from the penalty spot in Wednesday's semi-final win over the Netherlands.

However, the Bayern Munich star's performance levels have been criticised throughout the tournament and it was his replacement from the bench, Ollie Watkins, who steered England into the final with a last-minute winner versus the Oranje.

Ivan Toney also replaced Kane to good effect against Switzerland in the quarter-finals, converting a no-look penalty as England triumphed on spot-kicks, and some have suggested Gareth Southgate should drop his captain for Sunday's Berlin showpiece.

Neville disagrees, pointing to the fact his nine knockout-stage goals at World Cups or European Championships are the most of any European player in history.

"I spoke to Wayne Rooney four or five weeks ago before the tournament started and he said Harry Kane is the greatest England player ever," Neville told Sky Sports News. "I wouldn't fight to disagree with him.

"Harry Kane has been absolutely sensational. I always called him gold when he was at Tottenham, you just know full well that he's going to deliver for you. He's a solid character.

"I think he's obviously below his best in this tournament, it does look like he is carrying something and it wouldn't surprise me at all if it emerged in a week or two that he's had issues during the tournament with something that he's trying to bandage up.

"You look at that record now and some of the greatest goalscorers of all time are on that list. Harry Kane is someone who will not be dropped by Gareth Southgate. 

"I know there is a sense that people think we are better without him, but it wouldn't send a great message to the squad internally. He's very clearly their leader and Southgate has full, total faith in him.

"I also think if you're the opposition team, he is England's talisman. He's the man who has gone over to Germany this year and has ripped it up from a goalscoring perspective."

As well becoming the first England captain to lift a major trophy on foreign soil, Kane could add the Golden Boot to the one he won at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Dani Olmo is currently ahead of him in the running by virtue of recording two assists, with both players level on three goals. 

England have displayed their tournament know-how by battling into the Euro 2024 semi-finals but must improve when they meet the Netherlands, says Gary Neville.

The Three Lions have reached their third semi-final in four major tournaments under Gareth Southgate, having beaten Switzerland 5-3 on penalties following a 1-1 quarter-final draw on Saturday.

They had reached the last four at just two of their previous 17 tournaments (World Cup or Euros, since 1968) before Southgate's 2016 appointment.

Despite overseeing England's emergence as serious contenders, Southgate has been fiercely criticised for the team's tepid attacking performances in Germany, with their total of 4.36 expected goals (xG) bettered by 10 already-eliminated teams.

Most pundits believed the Three Lions improved after changing to a 3-4-3 formation against Switzerland, and Neville feels the system suits Southgate's squad.

"I've felt we've had a better balance, the team suits it. It's more fluid, a more relaxed nature in the football, particularly in the first half," Neville told Sky Sports News.

"In the second half we went back to recycling the ball safely, but in the first half we played some half-decent stuff. Extra-time was then very safe, very cautious.

"But this team has tournament know-how, they get to semi-finals. There's fortune along the way with the draw. We've played Serbia, Denmark, Slovenia, Slovakia and Switzerland. 

"If you said you'd get those five teams in a major tournament you'd be very happy. We haven't played at our best but it's a tournament that seems to be moving that way.

"Spain have played some fantastic football but the other teams have been quite unspectacular but getting through."

While Neville feels Southgate has transformed the team into seasoned tournament campaigners, he says Wednesday's semi-final will be their toughest test yet.

"It's a good sign for a team, you have to get through difficult matches – but you can't rely on that all the time. My feeling is you'll get caught out eventually if you don't step up your performance level," Neville added.

"Saturday was definitely a step up in terms of our balance, it was a step forward, now we have to step up again against the Netherlands on Wednesday. We'll have to step up quite a bit because they have some serious players."

Gary Neville believes England are mismanaging their star players and has called on Gareth Southgate to start Kobbie Mainoo in the Euro 2024 knockout stages.

England topped Group C as a result of Tuesday's goalless draw with Slovenia, but they were booed off by their fans after producing another flat performance.

The Three Lions created just 0.8 expected goals (xG) despite enjoying 74% of the possession, the latter being their highest figure ever recorded in a major tournament match where they failed to score (since 1966 for World Cup and 1980 for Euros).

Southgate's team failed to attempt a single shot until the 30th minute, their longest wait for an attempt in a Euros match since 2000 (35th minute versus Germany).

The England boss only made one change to the team that toiled in a 1-1 draw with Denmark on matchday two, replacing Trent Alexander-Arnold with Conor Gallagher, as Phil Foden and Harry Kane continued to struggle in attack.

Speaking in his role as a pundit for ITV Sport, Neville said: "England have Cole Palmer, Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham, Kobbie Mainoo, Phil Foden… massive, massive talents and we cannot afford to mismanage them," he said.

"We are the only country in the world who continually ask, 'where can these players fit?'"

Manchester United midfielder Mainoo had a positive impact when he replaced Gallagher at half-time, and Southgate feels he should start Sunday's last-16 clash, which will pit England against a third-place finisher from either Group D or E.

"Every time England made a change, they got better," Neville said. "I am certain Mainoo will start the next game. 

"Southgate thought Gallagher was the option for energy, but it was quite obvious we needed someone on there to get us playing and Adam Wharton is capable of doing that as well.

"The more substitutions we made, the less rigid we looked. We looked so basic in the first half, it was a struggle to watch that and I think we moved forward in the second half. We did not get the result, but there were glimpses of what we can be."

Gary Neville believes Gareth Southgate will have major concerns about the balance of England's midfield following their Euro 2024 opener against Serbia. 

Jude Bellingham's fourth international goal was enough to kickstart ther Three Lions' campaign with a win, but the encounter in Gelsenkirchen was far from straightforward. 

England had Jordan Pickford to thank to preserve Southgate's record of winning the opening game of every major tournament he has managed at, producing a fine stop to deny Dusan Vlahovic in the second half. 

Much was made of who Southgate would deploy in central midfield ahead of the tournament, with Trent Alexander-Arnold given the nod to feature alongside Declan Rice. 

"The midfield is the major concern and the fluidity of the game that comes through there is one thing we need to try and work on in the group stage because when we play against a good team, we'll have to have it right," said Neville. 

"There are some small alarm bells around balance and having a good group of players that are very talented but are we as good a team?

"Last night, you start to think about the impact and influence of Jordan Henderson and Kalvin Phillips. The best players don't make the best team sometimes.

"We're aware Kieran Trippier is right-footed at left-back and is playing there because of all the injuries in that position which creates a further imbalance. But in midfield, somehow we have to try and get that right. Gareth [Southgate] will be more than aware of that.

Alexander-Arnold completed 37 of his 42 passes against Serbia, averaging a pass accuracy of 88.1 percent, the joint-third lowest from those who started the game, with only Phil Foden and Harry Kane below him.  

The Liverpool full-back started brightly, showing glimpses of his wide passing range, but made one mistake late in the first half which allowed Aleksandar Mitrovic a shot on goal. 

"We know [Alexander-Arnold] can do it when he moves into midfield from right-back and then can deliver those crosses and passes. There were times when he found himself with his back to play and that is a different story," said Neville.

"I don't really want to focus on him being a problem in there. It was the balance of the entire midfield and I include Declan Rice in that as well - and what England need to have in there to be able to move forward in this tournament.

"All eyes will be on Trent Alexander-Arnold. His best position is right-back and having the ability to move forward on that side or coming inside and playing that quarter-back role. It doesn't look like we're going to do that, it looks like we're going to stick with Kyle Walker which is absolutely the right decision.

"Gareth will know he's got an issue with these talented players and how he gets them all into the team - and most importantly with the right balance."

Gary Neville believes Gareth Southgate will have major concerns about the balance of England's midfield following their Euro 2024 opener against Serbia. 

Jude Bellingham's fourth international goal was enough to kickstart ther Three Lions' campaign with a win, but the encounter in Gelsenkirchen was far from straightforward. 

England had Jordan Pickford to thank to preserve Southgate's record of winning the opening game of every major tournament he has managed at, producing a fine stop to deny Dusan Vlahovic in the second half. 

Much was made of who Southgate would deploy in central midfield ahead of the tournament, with Trent Alexander-Arnold given the nod to feature alongside Declan Rice. 

"The midfield is the major concern and the fluidity of the game that comes through there is one thing we need to try and work on in the group stage because when we play against a good team, we'll have to have it right," said Neville. 

"There are some small alarm bells around balance and having a good group of players that are very talented but are we as good a team?

"Last night, you start to think about the impact and influence of Jordan Henderson and Kalvin Phillips. The best players don't make the best team sometimes.

"We're aware Kieran Trippier is right-footed at left-back and is playing there because of all the injuries in that position which creates a further imbalance. But in midfield, somehow we have to try and get that right. Gareth [Southgate] will be more than aware of that.

Alexander-Arnold completed 37 of his 42 passes against Serbia, averaging a pass accuracy of 88.1 percent, the joint-third lowest from those who started the game, with only Phil Foden and Harry Kane below him.  

The Liverpool full-back started brightly, showing glimpses of his wide passing range, but made one mistake late in the first half which allowed Aleksandar Mitrovic a shot on goal. 

"We know [Alexander-Arnold] can do it when he moves into midfield from right-back and then can deliver those crosses and passes. There were times when he found himself with his back to play and that is a different story," said Neville.

"I don't really want to focus on him being a problem in there. It was the balance of the entire midfield and I include Declan Rice in that as well - and what England need to have in there to be able to move forward in this tournament.

"All eyes will be on Trent Alexander-Arnold. His best position is right-back and having the ability to move forward on that side or coming inside and playing that quarter-back role. It doesn't look like we're going to do that, it looks like we're going to stick with Kyle Walker which is absolutely the right decision.

"Gareth will know he's got an issue with these talented players and how he gets them all into the team - and most importantly with the right balance."

Phil Foden "cemented his place as a Manchester City great" after his two goals helped the club to a record-breaking fourth successive Premier League title, according to former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand.

Pep Guardiola's side made history as they maintained their grip on the Premier League trophy following a 3-1 victory over West Ham at the Etihad Stadium on the final day of the season.

Foden - recently named the division's Player of the Year - played another starring role for the Citizens with a brace, including a 25-yard thunderbolt after just 78 seconds, while Rodri's second-half strike completed the victory.

Ferdinand, who won three consecutive Premier League titles with United between 2007 and 2009, believes the attacking midfielder has joined a pantheon of club legends as he saluted City's resilience and determination to keep on winning. 

"It's hard to explain how difficult that is - to continually reboot and go again," the former defender told TNT Sports. "The daily pressure to get up and go every day is a relentless pursuit of elite performance.

"You have to respect it - the individuals there are fantastic. The top players have moments where you cement yourself as one of the club's greats - I'm not going to go too early, but Foden has done that today."

Still only 23 years old, Foden is the youngest player in history to win six Premier League titles with his home club.

Gary Neville - an eight-time champion with United who also won three on the bounce between 1999 and 2001 - also paid tribute to the England international.

"Phil Foden is a local hero. What a player!" he told Sky Sports. "Pep Guardiola has designed a style of football that is being copied not just around this country, but all around Europe.

"Most of all, he is a winning machine that instils that in everybody who works with him."

Gary Neville says it "would be madness" for Chelsea to sack head coach Mauricio Pochettino as he is ideally suited to managing the club.

Pochettino admitted after Chelsea's 2-0 win over his former side Tottenham on Thursday that he is unsure of his future at Stamford Bridge.

The Argentinian has been under intense pressure at times this season, most recently on the back of the 5-0 loss to Arsenal last week.

Chelsea have since responded with a battling 2-2 draw at Aston Villa and the impressive win over Spurs, but doubts remain over Pochettino's future.

However, Neville insists it would be wrong of Chelsea to part company with the former Paris Saint-Germain boss at the end of the season.

"There was talk of Pochettino being under pressure a month or so ago," he told Sky Sports. "I think it would be madness to change the coach whose quality of work with these types of player is renowned.

"Making sure you have stability through another transfer window seems more critical than the idea someone else would come in and do a better job. That doesn't feel right here.

"He's a proven coach. One of the great coaches in the Premier League in the last five, six, seven years. Pochettino has had some up and down moments this season. But this is a good one."

Chelsea's victory over Tottenham moved them up to eighth in the Premier League and now within three points of Manchester United in sixth.

United have also struggled for consistency this season, raising doubts over their own manager Erik ten Hag as the end of the season nears.

There have also been reports that most of United's players will be up for sale when the transfer window opens, with or without Ten Hag in charge.

Ten Hag labelled those rumours "untrue", and Neville is adamant there will not be wholesale changes to the squad during the close season.

"To be fair, you know it's not true," the United legend said. "I mean [Kobbie] Mainoo is not for sale – there's no way that man can be sold so every player can't be for sale, it's impossible. There's no way United could sell their best young players.

"There's a lack of stability here at Chelsea at the moment, but there's a lack of stability at United. Richard Arnold, John Murtough, Patrick Stewart, Cliff Baty, all the senior management, Darren Fletcher's been moved to a different role within the club, Jason Wilcox has come in.

"I can understand why there is quite a few players who will be under pressure and potentially would be sold, but I can't believe it's every player or anywhere near that."