"He is not kidding anyone" - Gary Neville criticises Chelsea superstar after 2-0 loss against Manchester City
Former Manchester United right-back Gary Neville has criticised Enzo Fernandez for his performance in Chelsea's 2-0 defeat to Manchester City on Sunday, August 18. The Argentine midfielder was given the captain's armband by manager Enzo Maresca in the absence of Reece James.
The Blues got off to a disappointing start under their new manager. While they looked solid in bits and pieces, they could not overcome the reigning Premier League champions.
Goals from Erling Haaland (18') and Mateo Kovacic (84') ensured three crucial points for Manchester City.
Fernandez, who operated in midfield alongside Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, played more like a No. 10 on Sunday. However, his inability to support the team defensively or in attack has attracted flak from several pundits, including Neville.
The former United icon seemed unimpressed by Chelsea's defense and by the 23-year-old. Here's what he said while commentating for Sky Sports (via Metro):
"Enzo Fernandez presses when he can’t win it a lot. He then throws up his arms to his teammates as if to say 'where were you?'. He is not kidding anyone. I thought Chelsea would take a few more risks on the ball. But they have been quite basic. The Chelsea midfield are being run ragged."
Former Blues star Pat Nevin, too, chimed in and opined that Conor Gallagher, who is waiting for his move to Atletico Madrid to materialise, could've done a lot better in Fernandez's position.
Here's what he said on BBC Radio 5 Live:
"You have to be central to everything in that position. If you’re Conor Gallagher you’d be thinking you can do better than that. Enzo is not coming back and covering the space but he’s not doing much going forward either. He has to do more for the team defensively."
Chelsea will face Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday, August 25, in their second game of the new Premier League campaign.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca's decision to omit Raheem Sterling from his matchday squad causes a stir
Raheem Sterling joined the Blues on a five-year contract in 2022 from Manchester City. He scored 10 goals and managed eight assists in 43 appearances across all competitions last season.
Enzo Maresca decided not to include Sterling in his squad for the fixture against Manchester City, prompting the Englishman's camp to issue a response. The 29-year-old's camp has demanded clarity from the club and the manager regarding his future at Stamford Bridge.
While defending his decision to omit the former City man from his squad, Maresca said (via Fabrizio Romano):
"It's just a technical decision, nothing else to say. Managers are paid to make decisions and sometimes players don’t like it."
With the Blues having signed Pedro Neto and with the expected arrival of either Joao Felix or Victor Osimhen, it remains to be seen if Sterling remains a part of Maresca's plans.