Manchester United fans would be ‘sceptical’ about Gareth Southgate replacing Erik ten Hag, says Gary Neville

Gary Neville says he has never viewed Gareth Southgate as a suitable fit for Manchester United and supporters would be ‘sceptical’ about the ex-England manager taking charge.

Southgate was high up on United’s shortlist of candidates to replace Erik ten Hag at the start of the summer but the Red Devils went on to give the Dutchman their backing in the wake of the side’s shock FA Cup final win over Manchester City.

The likes of Mauricio Pochettino, Graham Potter, Thomas Tuchel and Zinedine Zidane were also linked with United before Ten Hag put pen to paper on a contract extension at the Theatre of Dreams.

It has been another wretched start to the season for the Old Trafford giants, though, and the latest reports indicate that Ten Hag has just two matches to save his job, starting away to Porto in the Europa League tomorrow night.

Southgate’s close relationship with United’s sporting director, Dan Ashworth, has been well-documented and, according to the i, INEOS have identified the 54-year-old as their top managerial candidate should Ten Hag be dismissed.

But United legend Neville has his doubts and does not see an obvious ‘connection’ between his former club and Southgate.

‘I said last season that I’ve never seen Gareth as a fit for Manchester United or Manchester United to be a fit for Gareth,’ the ex-United and England right-back said on The Overlap US.

‘I’ve never seen it as something, to be fair, the club would do, I’ve never seen it as something Manchester United would do.

‘The only connection I see is that Dan Ashworth has worked with Gareth and Gareth has done a very good job with England but I’ve never seen that connection before.

‘Manchester United fans are a bunch of people who have feeling, who have a spirit, and I don’t think they’re connected to this idea yet.

‘Gareth could do exactly what he’s done with England if he was to come in the next few months or year or whatever it may be and completely change people’s thinking and change the dynamic around the decision.

‘But actually pre-the move, he would come in, not unusually for him because he came into the England job with not a lot of love, but he would be coming into Manchester United with, not necessarily not a lot of love, but coming in with scepticism.

‘There is no doubt about that from Manchester United fans. He would know that.’

While not necessarily the most ‘exciting’ appointment, Neville believes Southgate would be capable of ‘weeding out the nonsense’ in United’s dressing room if he was selected as Ten Hag’s successor.

‘Gareth has been around the block and he would know that it’s not the most exciting appointment for Manchester United fans to be able to look at,’ Neville added.

‘But he’s solid, he’s done a good job, he’s got a good work ethic and one thing Gareth would do is weed out the nonsense in that dressing room.

‘However, I still think INEOS have got a job to do in the next few weeks to try and get the best out of Erik ten Hag. After Tottenham, it’s a struggle because that’s a low.’

Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of United’s clash with Porto, Ten Hag insisted he was not fearing the sack and remained laser-focussed on winning more trophies after lifting the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup.

‘I’m not thinking about it, I’m not anxious. We are together,’ he said.

‘We created a togetherness in the summer with the ownership and the leadership.

‘We made this agreement and we were all behind it. We also know the strategy [is to bring in] young players in a transition period.

‘They also know in the end when we are May, in all my last six seasons, always there were trophies. That is what we are also now aiming for.’

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