"I’m going to speak openly about this" - Gary Neville feared Manchester United star would be 'finished' before stellar performance against Burnley
Manchester United legend Gary Neville recently admitted he was worried when he saw Jonny Evans start against Burnley on September 23, thinking the match could have 'finished' him.
Evans plied his trade for the Red Devils for nine seasons between 2006 and 2015, making 198 appearances across all competitions and winning 11 major trophies.
The 35-year-old made a sensational return to Manchester United this summer, signing a one-year deal after he impressed Erik ten Hag while training with the first team during pre-season.
Evans was named in the starting XI to face Burnley in the Premier League due to injuries to Lisandro Martinez and Harry Maguire. He put in a stellar performance, keeping a clean sheet, as Manchester United secured a narrow 1-0 win.
The Northern Ireland international had a goal disallowed in the first half before he brilliantly assisted Bruno Fernandes to break the deadlock in the 45th minute. He was also solid defensively, making eight clearances, three recoveries, and winning five duels.
On his podcast, Neville said (via METRO):
"I’m going to speak openly about this. When I saw Jonny Evans in the team… he’s been a fantastic defender for Man United and Man City wanted him three or four years ago, and Pep Guardiola doesn’t pick mugs…"
He added:
"But I thought, ‘Oh, Jonny’ [and] at the end of my career at Man Utd, I had a couple of games where people went past me and I was isolated. I thought it was a game which could have finished Jonny, if those Burnley forwards got at him. But I was delighted with how the game went for him. He set up the lovely little pass to Bruno Fernandes. I was happy for him, because I had fear about how it was going to go."
Evans' start against Burnley also marked his 200th appearance for the Red Devils in all competitions.
Manchester United's next assignment
Manchester United suffered a poor start to their season and were on a three-match losing streak before their 1-0 win against Burnley on Saturday. Injury and off-field issues have hampered their progress, despite signing the likes of Andre Onana, Sofyan Ambrabat, Mason Mount, and Rasmus Hojlund this summer.
Erik ten Hag's side have won three and lost three of their opening six Premier League games and are currently ninth in the table with just nine points, nine behind league leaders Manchester City. They also lost 4-3 to Bayern Munich in their UEFA Champions League opener last week.
Manchester United will have a good opportunity to build some momentum in their next game. They next face Crystal Palace in the third round of the EFL Cup on Tuesday, September 26, and will be aiming to defend their trophy this season.