Manchester United let Erik ten Hag down in the January transfer window by not signing a striker, club great Gary Neville has declared.

Defeat to Newcastle United on Sunday saw United slip to fourth in the Premier League, one point above Tottenham, who they hold a game in hand over, with a fierce scrap for a top-four finish looming before the end of the season.

United's away form has been a major issue this season, with six of their seven defeats coming on the road, and upcoming trips to face fellow European chasers Tottenham and Brighton and Hove Albion will be a cause for concern.

According to Neville, the club's failure to adequately recruit a new forward in the mid-season window, following the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo, is at the root of their issues.

"He was badly let down, Erik ten Hag, in January, if you look at it. Because that Cristiano Ronaldo interview with Piers Morgan was done in November," the Sky Sports pundit said.

"He was always going to leave at the start of the World Cup. Manchester United then had six weeks before the transfer window began.

"They made a conscious decision not to give Erik ten Hag the money because they have not got the money. They made a conscious decision to tell him he was going to have to bring somebody in on loan.

"Who is going to loan Manchester United a world-class striker in January? Nobody is going to do that.

"I do not blame Wout Weghorst at all. He has done a really good job. He is a placeholder for Manchester United and Erik ten Hag, and I think he is doing absolutely everything he can do out there on the pitch.

"He is obviously not good enough to be a Manchester United striker. But they needed support in January.

"They lost Ronaldo, they lost Edinson Cavani in the summer, and Anthony Martial was injured. You cannot play without a centre-forward. To play football really well your centre-forward and your goalkeeper have to play well. It is just a rule. He does not always play well.

"So, for me, Erik ten Hag was let down badly in January by the club in the sense that they have this £900million of debt and they could not afford to bring in anyone else. That is the harsh reality of it."

Rio Ferdinand was "delighted" to be named among 15 nominees for the Premier League Hall of Fame.

Introduced in 2021, the Hall of Fame has inducted eight players in each of the past two years, adding managerial greats Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger on Wednesday.

Voting for the latest round of player inductees has begun, with greats nominated from across the last 30 years of the Premier League.

The 2023 class of inductees is dominated by defenders, including former Arsenal captain Tony Adams, ex-Chelsea skipper John Terry and Manchester United stalwarts Ferdinand and Gary Neville.

Former Chelsea and Arsenal duo Petr Cech and Ashley Cole are also nominated, along with ex-United defender Nemanja Vidic.

Midfielders Michael Carrick and Yaya Toure represent both sides of Manchester, with strikers Andy Cole, Les Ferdinand, Robbie Fowler and Michael Owen completing the list.

Ferdinand wrote on Twitter: "Delighted to be nominated again on the #PLHallOfFame. Few decent CBs [centre-backs] listed on the nominees."

The former England captain will be hoping it is third time lucky, having also been among the nominees in 2021 and 2022.

Fans can vote for three players they believe should be inducted, with voting open until 6pm BST on Monday, April 10.

Only three players will take their place among the greats this time around.

The shortlist has been reduced from 25 names previously to 15 and players are only eligible if their retirement was confirmed before 1 January 2023.

In order to be eligible, players must have made at least 250 Premier League appearances or made 200 league appearances for a single club, been selected in any Team of the Decade or 20-year Anniversary teams, won a Golden Boot or Golden Glove, been voted Player of the Season, won three titles or scored 100 goals or registered 100 clean sheets.

2023 nominees: Tony Adams, Sol Campbell, Michael Carrick, Petr Cech, Andy Cole, Ashley Cole, Jermain Defoe, Les Ferdinand, Rio Ferdinand, Robbie Fowler, Gary Neville, Michael Owen, John Terry, Yaya Toure, Nemanja Vidic.

Gary Neville is keen for Manchester United to have a new home, telling prospective bidders to modernise the club.

The Glazer family's tenure in charge at Old Trafford could be nearing a conclusion, having announced in November that they were exploring options for a sale.

Last week saw visits to the club from Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani's delegation and Jim Ratcliffe, both of whom are the running for a potential takeover – though there could be as many as eight bidders.

Former United captain Neville is keen for whoever takes charge to invest significantly in the club's infrastructure, including the construction of a new stadium.

"I think we've got to make sure that whoever the new owners are in the next few months, that they harness what the club's history is about, and also take Manchester United forward into a modern era," he told ITV News.

"You look back at the past in terms of what we are and what we should be, but also I think we need to be a modern football club, with a new stadium, a new infrastructure.

"The training ground needs to be brought up to speed and the sporting project needs to be world class.

"And there needs to be that feeling among the fans again, that everyone's aligned on the same page - they haven't had that for the last eight-to-10-years."

While United are perceived to have fallen behind to their rivals off the field, significant gains have been made under the stewardship of Erik ten Hag.

The Dutch boss guided United to League Cup glory in February, the club's first trophy since 2017, with further honours up for grabs with the campaign in the FA Cup and Europa League continuing.

Those improvements have impressed Neville, who added: "I think the thing about Manchester United for me is that the football can never be boring.

"You always have to go to a game feeling that you're going to see something exciting.

"The lads that wear those shirts out on the pitch, they have to look like they're engaged and they've got a spirit and they want to be here.

"You think about how bad it was at the end of last season to what it is now - a huge turnaround."

Gary Neville labelled Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes "embarrassing" and Roy Keane said Erik ten Hag's players should go into hiding after a 7-0 humbling by Liverpool.

Liverpool's three starting forwards – Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez – each scored twice, with substitute Roberto Firmino coming off the bench to add to the humiliation.

It was Liverpool's heaviest-ever win over United, their great rivals, and came just a week after the visitors to Anfield won the EFL Cup.

If United's Wembley win pointed to a bright future, this Sunday shoeing on Merseyside was a wake-up call.

United legends Neville and Keane offered no sympathy.

A stunned Neville said after the game: "They've not understood, I don't think, the dangers of this fixture, that when you concede a goal and the crowd get up, it can just swallow you alive and that's what happened today. That Manchester United group of players have been eaten alive in that second half."

During the game, Neville condemned United's defending as "a mess", "appalling", and at 3-0 he said the visitors had "lost their heads".

At 4-0, Neville said United's experienced stars were "playing like schoolboys", and as the scoreline worsened for the men from Old Trafford so the rage increased.

"The second half has been an absolute disgrace, a shambles," Neville said on Sky Sports, "epitomised by no one more than the captain, Bruno Fernandes, who I think has been embarrassing at times.

"It's not their usual performance, it's not their usual spirit, it's not their usual form, and [Ten Hag] will deal with it, I'm sure, very quickly, like he's dealt with other difficult situations this season."

Looking at Fernandes, Neville said: "Some of his behaviour in the second half has been a disgrace."

Keane agreed on that point, saying Fernandes had been "nothing short of disgraceful" in what goes down as the joint-heaviest defeat in United's history, in terms of goal margin.

"You wouldn't be happy with him in your dressing room today," Keane added.

A no-nonsense midfielder and captain in his time, Keane said the result for United made it "obviously a very, very bad day, obviously a shocking day really".

He added: "The senior players, you can use all the words... embarrassing, they didn't show any leadership skills, particularly the senior players, the goals they gave away were shocking.

"Thank goodness I've never been part of a team that's been beaten by that much playing for Man United. The players will be embarrassed and no doubt be ashamed of their performance, particularly the second half when the going got tough and they just went missing to give up that many goals.

"It is the hardest place to come for a Manchester United player. When you go two goals down you've got to show some sort of pride, fight, spirit. They didn't show any of that."

Keane praised Liverpool, saying Jurgen Klopp's team were "brilliant", "back to their very, very best" and "ruthless".

But there was no doubt United let them walk over them.

"The senior players for Man United, the players we give the big build-up to, they're the ones who let the club down today," Keane said. 

"I always try and imagine that if you get beaten in a game like this, six or seven nil, you'd go into hiding as a player. I think I'd go missing for a few months. It really is that embarrassing for the players."

Manchester United legend Roy Keane saluted Marcus Rashford for proving he has the character to be the team's main man, but Gary Neville now wants him to replicate his form season after season.

Rashford is enjoying a phenomenal campaign, with his 25 goals across all competitions prior to Sunday's trip to Liverpool already his best return for a single season.

There appeared to be doubts about Rashford's long-term future at United after a hugely underwhelming 2021-22 season, but he has had a new lease of life since Erik ten Hag's arrival.

He showed real promise before the World Cup, but it is since his return from Qatar that Rashford's form has reached new heights, scoring 10 goals in his previous 10 league games ahead of Sunday.

That haul includes a run of five successive goalscoring appearances, with the England international giving United a clinical touch in attack – his 25 goals have come from just 16.5 xG (expected goals).

Keane acknowledged he had reservations about Rashford in that regard, but the 25-year-old is emphatically proving him wrong.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Keane said: "He's in great form and what's been surprising in the last few months is, I wasn't sure if Marcus had that personality to want to be the main man, but he has, particularly with [Cristiano] Ronaldo leaving and [Anthony] Martial injured, he has definitely taken that responsibility.

"His goals, the type of goals he's getting: he's scored a couple of headers recently. I never knew he had that in his locker.

"We know obviously about his pace, his skill when beating people, but I think he's enjoying the responsibility. He's in the form of his life, he seems fit, he seems mentally clear, he's focusing more on his football now.

"There were question marks over the past few years about whether he was distracted, a lot of people hanging on to him. Now it looks like football is his priority and he's getting the rewards."

However, Neville – another former United captain – feels Rashford now has to ensure this season is not just a flash in the pan.

Twice before he has broken the 20-goal mark in a single season but been unable to maintain that level, whereas one of his opponents on Sunday – Liverpool's Salah – has done so in all six of his campaigns with the Reds.

Such ability has inspired Liverpool to success in the Premier League, FA Cup, EFL Cup and the Champions League.

"I think Marcus can look at Salah," Neville added. "What Marcus has done this season is fantastic, but Salah's been doing that for six or seven seasons, winning Premier League titles, Champions League trophies.

"He's reliable and consistent, and that's where Marcus now is building that sort of feeling and momentum in his game, but he's got to do it for the next three, four, five seasons and take Manchester United to those titles that Salah has at Liverpool."

Harry Kane should leave Tottenham for Manchester United if he wants to win trophies in his career, former Red Devils full-back Gary Neville said.

England captain Kane has spent his entire career at Spurs despite regularly being linked with a move away over the years, most notably in 2021 when he was seemingly pushing for a move to Manchester City before agreeing to stay in north London.

The 29-year-old is having another productive season, having scored 18 goals in 25 Premier League games, but is yet to win a major trophy with Spurs, who were knocked out of the FA Cup by Sheffield United on Wednesday.

Speaking to Sky Sports News, Neville said Kane could look to move on at the end of the campaign as a result, and believes his former club are a realistic destination for the striker.

"Harry Kane is going to want to win trophies, I think," Neville said. "It's whether he sees it as being a case whereby he commits to Tottenham for his last five years and he does what some players have done.

"But if Harry is going to leave, I think now is the moment. He is a wonderful player, he's a great professional, and I think if Harry Kane could leave now, and you could get him an exit out of there to a club in Manchester probably, United or City, I think he would take that opportunity.

"It's more than likely not going to be City because of their [Erling] Haaland expenditure and what they've done with him, but Manchester United are desperate for a centre-forward.

"Chelsea, I can't see him going there. He's quite loyal to Tottenham and there's a big rivalry with Chelsea, so I don't see that happening, even though they do need a centre-forward.

"He's not going to go to Arsenal, because of the rivalry, so Manchester United is the only option in England for Harry Kane this summer.

"Bayern Munich have been mentioned. That could happen and I think Daniel Levy would be happier if he was to go internationally, so we could see that.

"But I think Harry, if he wants to win trophies, is going to have to leave Tottenham, because Tottenham do struggle with that aspect."

Neville also queried the idea of United signing another England international, Declan Rice, who was a part of the West Ham team who lost 3-1 to the Red Devils in the FA Cup fifth round on Wednesday.

"Obviously, Declan knows the position, but when I look at world-class holding midfielders, and players of that type, because Rice doesn't score or assist enough goals, so you're putting him into that category of more of a destroyer," he said.

"You've then got to be someone who I think is highly competent on the ball and linking play, and having that knowledge of the subtleties of getting on the ball from the back four.

"I personally feel, at this moment in time, that Declan needs to go and work under a different set-up, he needs to drive forward in his career, he needs to go and play at a different club.

"But for me, I wouldn't be spending £110million or £120m on Rice if I was Manchester United this summer. I would spend £50m-60m on Declan Rice, but I wouldn't spend the figures being reported because I feel in that position, I still feel like he's got a lot of growth."

Chelsea need to keep faith in Graham Potter despite the "massive pressure" on their head coach, according to Gary Neville.

The Todd Boehly-led ownership group backed Potter significantly in the January transfer window, spending close to £300million to bring in a host of major signings.

Joao Felix arrived on a short-term loan from Atletico Madrid, while Chelsea beat Arsenal to Mykhaylo Mudryk and splashed a Premier League record £106.8million (€121m) on Enzo Fernandez from Benfica.

That has not eased Chelsea's woes, though, after the Blues went down 1-0 to top-flight strugglers Southampton at Stamford Bridge on Saturday – leaving Potter with just one win in his last 10 games.

But former Manchester United captain Neville cannot see Boehly dismissing Potter just yet.

He said on his Gary Neville Podcast: "Potter is under massive pressure. You can see it in his face. The chances they missed in the second half and the boos at the end of the game, felt a little ominous.

"I think they'll want to do the right thing, the Chelsea owners.

"They've sacked a manager very early in the season in Thomas Tuchel, they've owned their new manager, they've brought recruitment assistants in alongside him, so they've invested heavily in Graham and his team… but they have to hold their nerve if they want to see it through.

"But I suspect that nerve is being tested, as any owner's would be when you've spent that level of money and you're losing games at home to the [side] bottom of the league."

Chelsea are languishing 10th in the Premier League, already 23 points behind leaders Arsenal and 11 from the top four, and their struggles in front of goal persist.

The Blues have scored just four goals in 10 matches in all competitions and failed to score in six of those games, drawing a blank in more outings in 2023 than any other Premier League club.

Neville believes a bloated squad is causing issues for Potter, who is yet to replicate his impressive work with Brighton and Hove Albion in his new job in west London.

"He's a fantastic coach," Neville said. "You get the idea he'd like to build a pattern of play with a group of players on a consistent basis and he's got 33 of them staring at him down the barrel saying 'play me'.

"And these aren't junior players, they're senior internationals and I can't imagine what it must be like to have 33 players.

"He's got 22 players who are not going to play. If they're all fit – how do you even get them all into a training session?

"They needed to unload players off Graham Potter to take the pressure of handling all those players that are expecting to play every single week."

Neville suggested Potter is suffering from contrasting interests at Chelsea, with Boehly keen to make statement signings.

"I've used the word chaotic and I think it has been chaotic in the first six months of the Boehly ownership," Neville said. "I won't change my mind on that.

"They've invested heavily, they're putting their money where their mouth is and are saying all the right things.

"But at this moment in time, it won't be a successful project when you have 33 players all looking at the manager and a manager who wants to build a measured project.

"It feels a little bit conflicted with what Potter would ordinarily be really strong at and what the ownership seem to want in respect of filling a squad and accumulating players of that sort of volume."

Gary Neville has attempted to explain his 'like' of a post on Twitter that appeared to support criminal charges being dropped against Manchester United striker Mason Greenwood.

The 21-year-old was arrested in January 2022 and was due to stand trial in November on accusations of attempted rape, assault and coercive control.

However, the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed on Thursday that all charges had been dropped due to "a combination of the withdrawal of key witnesses and new material that came to light [meaning] there was no longer a realistic prospect of conviction".

Former United full-back turned pundit Neville came in for criticism on Thursday after liking and retweeting posts from Nazir Afzal, a solicitor and former Chief Crown Prosecutor for North West England, that defended Greenwood, referring to him as "an innocent man" and criticising "trial by media".

Neville took to Twitter to explain his actions, posting: "I liked a tweet relating to the Mason Greenwood news this afternoon from Nazir Afzal (the former director of public prosecutions).

"This like is being misinterpreted. It was a clumsy like as I obviously condemn any violence against women."

United "will conduct its own process" before determining next steps for Greenwood.

Greenwood last featured for United on January 22 last year in a 1-0 victory against West Ham and has been suspended by the club ever since.

Gary Neville believes Jim Ratcliffe would "do the right thing" by Manchester United if he were to complete a takeover.

The Glazer family announced back in November they were exploring options for new investment including the possibility of a sale of the club, opening the door for prospective bidders to make their move to complete a takeover.

This week, Ratcliffe, who previously failed with a takeover bid for Chelsea, announced his intention to enter the bidding process for United, his boyhood club.

Neville feels that Ratcliffe could be the ideal candidate to take stewardship should a takeover be completed, though urged caution on what a takeover would entail.

"The main thing is the Glazers leave as quickly as possible, but the second thing is if whoever takes over, if they could hand it over to people who have feelings for the club, that would be great," he told Sky Sports.

"Jim Ratcliffe, he was born in Manchester, he knows the area. If he wins it, I think there would be a lot of very happy Manchester United fans as he would want to do the right thing by the club. I'm sure he would.

"I don't think that United can afford to be with another investment fund that would expect a return on the money, that's what worries me about private equity coming into football because, ultimately, they want a return on their investment.

"It might be that United aren't like this club here [Manchester City] or Newcastle or other clubs who have benefactors, who are willing to let them live debt free, not leverage the club, and United need a debt-free football club with someone who is willing to put money into it."

Asked what the priority for any new owner taking charge of United should be, Neville outlined performances on the field and improving the club infrastructure as the two most crucial elements.

"The priority for the new owner has to be winning, a winning Manchester United club is difficult to stop, we've seen that in the past. At that point, United become a very dangerous football club," he added.

"The priority has to always be football performance. Then you're talking about fan experience, which means the stadium has to be world class, and it's not at this moment in time, it falls behind many stadiums that you come to.

"There needs to be investment in the team to get them winning and investment in the facilities, the fan experience. For me, they would be the two priorities."

Gary Neville has tipped Arsenal to finish below Manchester City and even Manchester United in third place, despite the Gunners' big lead at the Premier League summit.

Arsenal maintained their great form with a 2-0 win over north London rivals Tottenham on Sunday to move eight points clear of City, who lost 2-1 to United on Saturday.

That is Arsenal's biggest lead in the competition after the same number of games as the side below them since the final day of the 2003-04 season, when they last won the title.

Man United and Newcastle United are a point further back, meanwhile, with the latter having played a game more than the rest of the top four.

But while many are now backing Arsenal to end their long wait for top-flight glory, United legend Neville is expecting them to finish as low as third.

Asked if Arsenal will win the Premier League, Neville said on his Sky Sports podcast: "No. But I said Leicester City wouldn't win the league... 

"I don't think they will win the league. Manchester City will win the league, and I think Man Utd will finish second, and I know that will annoy Arsenal fans.

"I'd rather Arsenal win the league than Man City. I think it would be absolutely sensational for the Premier League.

"I think about watching the Premier League, we've seen City sweep up, apart from Liverpool, over the past five years. 

"To think Arsenal could come and win it, it adds to our league, it makes our league great. I'd love Man Utd to win it, but I don't think that's going to happen this season."

Arsenal's return of 47 points after 18 matches is the fourth most of any side at this stage of a Premier League season, having dropped just seven points all campaign.

However, Neville has backed City to string together a run of victories as they so often have – with Arsenal still to play home and away – and win a fifth title in six seasons.

"The reality of it is, I think at some point Man City will hit a run. Once they do, they've got to play Arsenal twice," Neville said. 

"At some point, there will be a very difficult period for Arsenal this season. Is it conceivable that Arsenal are going to continue as they are? I don't think it is. 

"Could they draw two and lose one in a three-game period, and if they did that, their lead is gone, and the pack is up with them? That's what I think is going to happen.

"We'll see a traditional Premier League season where a team goes out, the pacemaker, and then they'll get drawn back in a little bit. 

"But I still think that this season is going to be far better for Arsenal than I ever imagined it would be."

Arsenal are set to face United in their next league outing on Sunday, while City host Tottenham on Thursday and Wolves on Sunday.

Gary Neville felt there was "something not right" about Manchester United's equalising goal in Saturday's 2-1 win against Manchester City at Old Trafford.

Bruno Fernandes cancelled out Jack Grealish's opener in controversial fashion, with Marcus Rashford in an offside position and closely following Casemiro's pass, though he did not touch it.

An offside flag was initially raised before being overruled, with Rashford judged to have not interfered with play – a decision that has proven contentious with pundits and on social media.

To rub salt into City's wounds, Rashford would score the winning goal just four minutes later to leave United third and only a point below their second-place rivals.

While it was United who benefitted from the decision, club legend Neville has conceded he would not have been happy if such a decision was given against his team.

"I would be absolutely devastated if I was a defender in a team or it was my team that conceded a goal like that," he told Sky Sports.

"The offside rule has evolved so much over the last 20 years, when I started playing anyone who stood offside was offside, irrespective of whether you are interfering or not.

"Now it has got to a point where they maybe have to bring it back. I have to say, at the time, I was appealing for a goal as I knew Bruno wasn't offside, I knew Marcus was, so I thought he wasn't interfering, so it must be a goal.

"When you look at it again, you think about it, there's something not right about that goal. Manchester United benefitted, maybe the Premier League benefits, I don't know."

United were six points behind leaders Arsenal prior to their north London derby with Tottenham on Sunday, and square off against the Gunners at Emirates Stadium next weekend following a midweek clash with Crystal Palace.

Gareth Southgate's decision to stay on as England manager has been welcomed by Gary Neville, who believes the Three Lions can win a tournament under his watch.

Southgate said he would take time to consider his future after England's 2-1 defeat against France in the World Cup quarter-finals last week.

That loss represented the latest in a series of near misses for Southgate's Three Lions, who squandered early leads in the 2018 World Cup semi-finals and the final of Euro 2020.

However, Sunday brought confirmation Southgate would remain in post until at least the end of Euro 2024 – his contract expires soon after that tournament – and Neville is pleased with the decision.

"I think it's the right decision," former England right-back Neville told Sky Sports News. "I felt it needed to be dealt with and the fact it has come out overnight is welcome. 

"It puts it to bed, it allows everyone to focus for the next 18 months. If there is going to be a change, it will be after the next tournament; it means a proper succession plan can be put in place.

"It didn't feel right, Gareth leaving, and it also didn't feel like either he or the FA had got anything lined up, either in his own career or for the FA to replace Gareth.

"We've played well in this tournament, we played well against France, I thought we were the better team on the night and that happens in football sometimes.

"I know we always want an autopsy, a scapegoat, someone to blame, but it doesn't really exist for me in this tournament. I think the players, manager and coaches have handled themselves pretty well." 

England won praise for adopting a more positive approach in Qatar than at previous tournaments, with their tally of 13 goals in this campaign their highest at any World Cup or European Championship.

While some have suggested England need an experienced winner to get them over the line, Neville feels the Three Lions have made progress and could win a trophy under Southgate.

"This idea they're mutually exclusive and you can't have what Gareth's brought – which is respect, integrity, good football, good performances – and then win, I don't go along with that," Neville said. "This idea that Gareth Southgate can't win a tournament with England, I don't buy into it.

"We brought in Sven-Goran Eriksson, who was apparently a hard winner, and so was Fabio Capello, coaches who had success at club level, and they didn't deliver anything like what Gareth has delivered with England. Let's put that to bed.

"Over the last 10 years, we've wanted a better team, a more technical team, better performances, getting to the latter stages of competitions, keeping possession... Gareth has done all those things.

"He has made us feel better about playing for England again, getting our players and our game respected around the world. We're in a good place. 

"With the women's success [at Euro 2022], with the youth team success, England have had a really good 10 years. 

"This idea we need to bring in this hard-nosed, killer winner and all of a sudden we'll be okay, I don't buy into it. I played with Southgate, I've known him a long time – he desperately wants to win."

Gareth Southgate should stay on as England manager for Euro 2024 despite their World Cup quarter-final exit, says Gary Neville.

Having been in charge of the Three Lions since 2016, Southgate has already cemented himself as the best boss to take the reins since 1966 World Cup winner Alf Ramsey, reaching the Russia 2018 semi-finals and Euro 2020 final.

A last-eight defeat to France at Qatar 2022 has left Southgate pondering his future, though, having told the Football Association he would like time to consider his next steps.

Neville believes he should remain for England's next major tournament campaign, however, and suggested he could spend the year-and-a-half interim to help find a successor to follow in his steps.

"There will be those who are listening, who say, 'You've got to have someone who gets us over the line, you've got to have someone who has a winning mentality, you've got to change the manager'," he told Sky Sports.

"I get that, it sounds beautiful and wonderful, but I remember us getting rid of Bobby Robson in 1990. I remember us getting rid of Terry Venables in 1996.

"It didn't go particularly well straight after those tournaments and I think Gareth is doing a very good job and one more tournament for me feels right.

"Hopefully, this team can stick together and evolve. I think it evolved in this tournament. We were more progressive, more positive in matches, and we go for it again.

"He has seen it all, and I think he should be kept within the system to design the future. He has been there for 10 years. I would like him to stay with the FA beyond his coaching role."

Southgate is contracted through Euro 2024 and sits fifth among England managers for an overall win ratio, with 60.5 per cent.

Cristiano Ronaldo risks bringing his career to an unsavoury end after displaying a petulant attitude in recent months, according to his former Manchester United team-mate Gary Neville.

Ronaldo was dropped by Portugal ahead of their World Cup last-16 tie with Switzerland on Tuesday, having irritated coach Fernando Santos with his reaction to being substituted in a group-stage defeat to South Korea. 

Portugal did not suffer for the striker's absence as his replacement Goncalo Ramos scored a brilliant hat-trick in a 6-1 rout of the Swiss, teeing up a quarter-final meeting with Morocco.

Ronaldo has courted controversy on several occasions this season, with his turbulent second spell at United being ended by mutual consent last month after he said the club had "betrayed" him in an explosive interview with Piers Morgan.

Speaking to ITV ahead of Portugal's game on Tuesday, Neville showed little sympathy for Ronaldo's situation, saying he must accept the end of his career is approaching.

"This is a manager who has had an unbelievable relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo for eight years," Neville said.

"There are a lot of fans of Cristiano Ronaldo who aren't willing to tell him the truth and I think he does need to listen to the truth.

"It's becoming a little bit of a scruffy end. The petulance, the stomping around, the sulking… it's got to stop because it doesn't reflect well on him at all.

"His long-term legacy is set, he's protected, he's one of the all-time great players, but in the short term, he's got to do a lot better because… is the Juventus manager wrong? Is the Manchester United manager wrong? And now is the Portugal manager wrong? There's three of them that now have done the same thing with him.

"You're leaving the game early like you did at United twice, stomping off the other day [against South Korea]. It's coming to that point where he's not accepting the end of his career very well."

Ronaldo – who has been strongly linked with a move to Saudi Professional League outfit Al Nassr in recent days – was introduced as a 73rd-minute substitute with Portugal already 5-1 up.

While Neville believes Ronaldo's drive to be the best served him well in the past, he says the five-time Ballon d'Or winner must now accept a more limited role.

"His single mindedness has been one of his greatest strengths over the last 10 or 15 years," Neville added.

"His determination to become one of the best in the world, to score the most goals, to break all the records, that fight with [Lionel] Messi.

"But there comes a point where you still have to think about the collective and that's your team-mates in the dressing room."

Kyle Walker can counter Kylian Mbappe when England face France in the World Cup quarter-finals as the Manchester City star is "the best right-back in the world" to face the forward, according to Gary Neville.

The Three Lions set up a last-eight match with Les Bleus after seeing off Senegal with a 3-0 victory inspired by Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden.

Gareth Southgate's side will face one of the toughest tests in world football against Didier Deschamps' defending champions, particularly with Paris Saint-Germain forward Mbappe in fearsome form.

But Neville feels England are well-equipped to keep him quiet, pointing to Walker as the key man who can thwart the threat posed by the 23-year-old.

"I think we have the best right-back in the world to be able to deal with Kylian Mbappe," the former England and Manchester United full-back told Sky Sports. "In terms of physicality, pace and experience, I can't think of anyone better to match Mbappe than Kyle Walker.

"That's not to say he'll keep him quiet for 90 minutes as Mbappe is sensational and special. But we have a chance as Walker can match him in certain areas."

Qatar 2022 marks the third successive tournament at which England have made the quarter-finals, having been beaten semi-finalists at Russia 2018 before losing the Euro 2020 final on penalties. 

Neville was part of the England side that reached the Euro 1996 semis, while he was also in the squad that suffered quarter-final shoot-out losses to Portugal at Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup.

Nevertheless, he is all too aware of the rarity of the occasion for Southgate's squad, adding: "It's a game of a lifetime on Saturday.

"When I think back to my own career, these games are once-or-twice-in-a-lifetime opportunities. They don't come around in your life very often."

In facing the reigning holders, Neville believes the pressure will be off, with defeat not likely to be considered an upset in the way a loss to Senegal would have been.

"I don't think the lads will be able to wait for it," he added. "This is a game we can lose we know that, they are world champions and a fantastic team.

"I always think you can go and enjoy games like this as there is less pressure than playing against Senegal. As if you get knocked out there, all hell breaks loose."