‘I’m struggling’: Gary Neville baffled by Liverpool and Manchester United duo’s claims

Follow us on Google Discover

Gary Neville told Sky Sports that he is ‘struggling’ to understand the negative comments from Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and Manchester United’s Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The Liverpool and Man United duo weren’t happy with the heavy challenges during their weekend games, with Klopp comparing the new rule changes to ‘wrestling’, as he told Sky Sports.

Previously, so-called softer fouls across the pitch were awarded, but referees have been told to be more strict this season and allow the games to flow.

Klopp wasn’t happy with how Burnley approached their game on Saturday, whilst his rival complained about a foul in the build-up to Southampton’s opening strike in their 1-1 draw at St Mary’s.

But Neville disagreed with what he is hearing from both camps and sided with the changes that have been made.

“I don’t think Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Jurgen Klopp have read the room at all,” said Neville. “I think the first two weeks, for me, have been breathtaking in terms of refereeing.

“I have been heavily critical of VAR, the intervention of VAR, they were over-complicating it. They have not taken the lessons from Europe. Mike Riley has taken enormous criticism, as have the referee’s in this country.

“Ole played in a team that was born on electricity and that cut and thrust of the game. Those tackles. Jurgen Klopp with the heavy-metal football.

“No-one wants to see players getting topped. But we haven’t seen that. I think we have seen unbelievable refereeing. The last couple of weeks, I think have been the best two weeks of refereeing I have seen in this country for a long time. It’s taken the game back towards the fan – I am struggling to understand what the negative is.”

Liverpool picked up all three points during their encounter against Sean Dyche’s men, but it was dropped points by those from Manchester.

Solskjaer’s side had to come from behind to secure a point against a Southampton team that have been tipped to struggle this term.

One thing is for sure, there have been too many soft fouls awarded in recent years and that is something that needs to be cut out.

Whilst these changes aren’t advocating dangerous tackles, it’s certainly allowing the game to flow more and bringing back some much-needed tough action into the game.