Gary Neville didn’t mince his words on Sky Sports tonight.
Following Arsenal’s 3-1 defeat to Chelsea, the former Manchester United player stepped in to defend Wenger against continued protests from some Arsenal fans that the Frenchman’s time at the club is over.
During his commentary during the game, Neville slammed one supporter carrying a ‘Time To Go’ sign, calling the fan an “idiot”.
Later, in the Sky Sports box, the ex-defender said that Wenger was doing a “great job” and that if he was new to the job, he’d be lauded.
“Arsene Wenger’s biggest challenge is that he’s been there such a long time, and there’s always that sort of ‘grass is greener’ [attitude],” Neville said.
“If Arsene Wenger was Jurgen Klopp and he was currently above Manchester City, above Liverpool, above Manchester United that have spent nearly £150-200million between them, we’d be saying he’s doing a great job.”
Video: Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville on Wenger & @ArsenalFanTV. #afc pic.twitter.com/7DzMxb0lWw
— afcstuff (@afcstuff) February 5, 2017
Neville then went on to criticise complaining Arsenal fans outside Stamford Bridge yesterday, labelling them “embarrassing”. He declared:
“I walked out the Chelsea ground yesterday and there was a couple of these Arsenal fan TV camera things everywhere, and to be honest it was embarrassing listening to it and watching it.
“I was watching Chelsea fans take the mickey out of them which was a bit funny and I was watching Arsenal fans slating and slanging into him and I thought to myself, ‘he doesn’t deserve that’. That’s one thing he doesn’t deserve – he’s done an unbelievable job.”
These forthright comments stirred one Arsenal fan from his shaded, bridge-like slumber and sparked an epic spot of online debating.
The Piers Morgan vs. Gary Neville debate starts here [below] and careens on for an age:
So T-Bag @GNev2, let me get this straight: you'd still back a United manager who'd gone 12yrs without a PL title & who'd never won CL?
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) February 5, 2017
