Gary Neville may never return to the dugout, but he knows a good team when he sees one.
Neville is back on our screens as a Sky Sports pundit after his brief, unsuccessful spell as Valencia manager last season. Little changed during his time away for his former club Manchester United though, who despite splurging on big name players during the summer have struggled for form so far this season.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic in particular, who started life at Old Trafford with a flurry of goals, endured a barren spell in front of goal until netting twice against Swansea City in the final Premier League before the international break.
If Marcus Rashford represents the future, Zlatan looks like a doomed attempt to recreate the past | @dionfanning https://t.co/AUCtwv6Zrk
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) October 31, 2016
Neville evidently doesn’t think those goals are enough to warrant Zlatan’s continued selection in Jose Mourinho’s team, as he excluded the big Swede from his ideal United starting team.
Wayne Rooney, the United captain, also misses out.
Neville’s team has largely the same defence as Mourinho has been using this season, with Eric Bailly, who is currently injured, starting alongside Antonio Valencia, Chris Smalling and Daley Blind at left-back rather than Luke Shaw.
The midfield has a nice balance, with Michael Carrick sitting at the base with the in-form Ander Herrera and star signing Paul Pogba playing ahead of him.
However, it’s the forward line that will arguably excite United fans the most as it’s full of fast, dynamic players.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who doesn’t seem to be a Mourinho favourite, plays on the right, with Anthony Martial on the left and Marcus Rashford through the middle.
“Well, David De Gea is the easy one in goal. I would then pick Antonio Valencia, Chris Smalling, Eric Bailly and probably Daley Blind at left back at this moment in time,” Neville said at a question and answer event at the Oxford Union.
“I would then have Paul Pogba to the left in midfield, Michael Carrick, Ander Herrera in there. Then ahead of them, I’d have Henrikh Mkhitaryan to the right and then Anthony Martial to the left and Marcus Rashford up front.”
https://twitter.com/OxfordUnion/status/798162519730700290?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Neville’s also picked a dream five-a-side team of former United to play alongside. The former defender opted for Ryan Giggs, Roy Keane Paul Scholes and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Not a bad team, that.
https://twitter.com/OxfordUnion/status/798156319626706945
