Gary Neville has highlighted Christian Eriksen and Casemiro's midfield partnership as a major weakness for Manchester United during their 2-0 defeat to Newcastle on Monday. Goals from Alexander Isak and Joelinton condemned Ruben Amorim's side to another damaging loss at Old Trafford.

And part of the reason behind why United were beaten was the decision to start Eriksen and Casemiro as the double pivot in midfield. With Manuel Ugarte suspended, Amorim opted to go for two experienced midfielders and leave 19-year-old Kobbie Mainoo, who hasn't had the greatest season so far, on the bench.

But as United were cut apart by an in-form Newcastle side on several occasions throughout the first half an hour, Amorim decided to make a brutal change. He chose to substitute Joshua Zirkzee in the 32nd minute for Mainoo and United ended up becoming a lot more compact and harder to play against.

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Although Eriksen and Casemiro are good players in their own right, Neville believes Amorim got it wrong to start both of them together. He told Sky Sports: "We've all been there as football players where you get into your 30s and the last thing you want in your 30s is another player alongside you in your 30s.

"If I was right back playing for Manchester United at the age of 33, I didn't want a 33-year-old right-sided winger in front of me, I wanted someone who was massively energetic, youthful, quick, to compensate for the things that I don't have anymore.

"And the last thing that Eriksen wants to see alongside him is someone that's basically got a lack of energy. He wants to see someone who can compensate for the things that he doesn't have and vice versa with Casemiro.

"It's not that they're not being great players, it's not that they still can't function in a team in some way, there are players that play for other clubs at the very top who haven't got legs, but they've got people around them who can basically cover for the fact they haven't got legs, they can't play them both together as a two in midfield with those massive gaps that exist, and Old Trafford always feels very big to cover the ground anyway."