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Gary Neville urges Manchester United to make new signings for ‘problem’ area of the team

Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville: Getty Images
Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville: Getty Images

Gary Neville watched Manchester United struggle to cope with Sheffield United on Sunday – then lambasted the lack of quality in midfield.

Throughout the encounter, Neville was critical of United’s forward line in his role as co-commentator on Sky Sports, with a lack of movement a key factor to the Red Devils’ struggles.

A second-half revival saw Ole Gunnar Solskjaer s team come from two goals down to lead 3-2, before conceding late on as the Blades earned a 3-3 draw to stay one point above United in the Premier League.

Matters were not helped by a succession of injuries in the centre of the park, with Scott McTominay and Paul Pogba both out, as well as Nemanja Matic.

After the match, Neville pinpointed that area of the team as a big issue halting any potential progress, suggesting the new signings were made to bring in the required quality.

“The midfield’s just a problem for United full stop, let’s be clear about it,” he said.

“Even with Scott McTominay in it’s a problem. They haven’t strengthened in that area, obviously Pogba’s injured.

“It’s a problem for them and it’s just not good enough, the midfield just doesn’t have good enough quality.”

Neville feels United’s issues won’t be solved by just one key addition, however.

In a wide-ranging and critical look at the team as a whole, he explained where Solskjaer still needs as many as half a dozen new additions to become competitive again.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (Getty)
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (Getty)

“They need a striker, they need two midfield players, they need a left-back – they need five or six signings.

“They can’t do that until January and obviously the summer but the midfield will not go away as a problem for Manchester United just because of an injury.

“It’s a problem full stop – it needs strengthening.”

Just two wins in the last eight league games leaves Man United languishing in mid-table, nine points behind fourth-place Chelsea in the race for Champions League spots.

United spent big on two defensive reinforcements in the summer, in Harry Maguire and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, but the only central midfielder signed in the last two years was Brazilian Fred – who started against Sheffield United, but who has been widely criticised since joining the club.