“Almost as if they need to restart and be coached again” - Gary Neville tells 2 Manchester United stars to work harder after draw with Chelsea
Manchester United legend Gary Neville has urged Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho to step up following a 1-1 draw with Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday (November 3). The Englishman noted that the duo needed to work harder off the ball to give the team an extra push.
Manchester United took on Chelsea at Old Trafford in their first Premier League game since parting ways with Erik ten Hag. However, the Red Devils struggled yet again and could only secure a point from the tie, with Bruno Fernandes and Moises Caicedo scoring for their respective sides.
Speaking after the game, a disappointed Gary Neville couldn't help but point fingers at Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho. The former Manchester United defender reckoned that the attackers needed to do more for the team.
"I'm not going to dig Rashford and Garnacho out... but I am," he said on the Gary Neville Podcast. "Because they are two players who have come through the ranks. With that comes some credit... the fact that you're an academy player and you get a level of buy-in from the fans because of that. So there's an enthusiasm towards them. Obviously now Rashford's been in the team for a good few years and Garnacho for a couple of years or so."
He added:
"The first ethic is that you have to work hard. I'm not saying that Garnacho and Rashford do not work hard, but they can work harder. I know that. That's in their defensive work - which then, I think, gives you the reward in your attacking play. There is no doubt that the harder you work the luckier you get and the more that life goes for you."
"They have no idea how to press. I think they need coaching again, almost as if they need to restart and be coached again, this group of players, because they don't look like they've ever met each other," Neville concluded.
Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho have a combined tally of 10 goals and seven assists across competitions for Manchester United this season. The Englishman has bagged four goals and three assists in 16 games while the Argentine has bagged six goals and four assists in the same number of games.
What is next for Manchester United?
Following the 1-1 draw with Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday, Manchester United will now switch their focus to the Europa League. They're scheduled to face PAOK in a group-phase fixture at Old Trafford on Thursday (November 7).
Following that, the Red Devils will return to action in the Premier League where they'll go head-to-head with Leicester City at Old Trafford on Sunday (November 10). They will take on Ipswich Town in their next league game two weeks later (November 24).
So far, Ruud van Nistelrooy's men have three wins, three draws, and four defeats to their name in the English top flight. They currently occupy the 13th position on the table with a paltry 12 points in 10 games and will need to step up immediately to steady their sinking ship.