{"id":50236,"date":"2014-09-23T07:19:03","date_gmt":"2014-09-23T07:19:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/4cd.e16.myftpupload.com\/?p=50236"},"modified":"2014-09-23T07:19:03","modified_gmt":"2014-09-23T07:19:03","slug":"phil-neville-manchester-united-are-100m-off-winning-title","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2014\/09\/phil-neville-manchester-united-are-100m-off-winning-title\/","title":{"rendered":"Phil Neville: Manchester United are ‘\u00a3100m off winning title’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Former Manchester United defender Phil Neville says the club may need to spend another \u00a3100m on players before they can compete for the league title.<\/p>\n

United\u00a0lost 5-3 to Leicester\u00a0on Saturday, but Neville says he “wasn’t surprised with the result”.<\/p>\n

“I know United have spent \u00a3150m,” Neville told BBC Radio 5 live.<\/p>\n

“I think there’s another two transfer windows of similar amounts of money needed – maybe \u00a3100m – before they can even think about winning the title.”<\/p>\n

\n\n\n<\/colgroup>\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

MOTD2 pundit and former England midfielder Danny Murphy on the 5-3 loss to Leicester<\/h2>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n

“Manchester United’s defence lacked leadership, experience and quality against Leicester. But if I criticise them, it is also important I point out they did not have much protection. The balance of the team was all wrong. We already knew Louis van Gaal’s squad was top-heavy with superb attacking talent but this game was the first time we have seen that it does not matter how dangerous they are going forward if they cannot defend.”<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Read more: Man Utd miss a defensive leader<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

New United boss Louis van Gaal signed midfielders Angel di Maria, Ander Herrera and Daley Blind on big-money deals in the summer, along with defenders Marcos Rojo and Luke Shaw, while the club also completed a loan deal for striker Radamel Falcao.<\/p>\n

But Neville, who\u00a0clarified on Twitter\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0that he was referring to a total spend of \u00a3100m across the two windows, told BBC Radio 5 live that “there are still key positions in the team that need filling”.<\/p>\n

“I think the centre-back position is obviously the key area,” Neville said. “Holding midfield or centre midfield needs addressing [too].”<\/p>\n

Twenty-year-old Tyler Blackett has played at centre-back in all five of Manchester United’s league games this season, but he struggled against Leicester and was sent off.<\/p>\n

\n\n\n<\/colgroup>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

United’s summer signings<\/h2>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n

All fees approximate<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tfoot>\n
Winger Angel di Maria (Real Madrid, \u00a359.7m)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Midfielder Ander Herrera (Athletic Bilbao, \u00a329m)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Full-back Luke Shaw (Southampton, \u00a327m)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Defender Marcos Rojo (Sporting Lisbon, \u00a316m)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Defender Daley Blind (Ajax, \u00a313.8m)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Striker Radamel Falcao (Monaco, \u00a36m season-long loan)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

However, Neville, who was on the coaching staff at Old Trafford last season, defended the club’s failure to sign an established centre-back in the summer transfer window, and backed United’s English defensive contingent to prove their worth.<\/p>\n

“That squad needed quality, not just run-of-the-mill players, they needed world-class players, and there were no world-class centre-backs out there,” Neville said.<\/p>\n

“I think that’s why in the next two transfer windows, United might still be looking for that world-class defender.<\/p>\n

“I am certain Chris Smalling will come good and I have full faith in Phil Jones as well. They’ve bought a lot of foreign players, you don’t get rid of your English spine.”<\/p>\n

United are currently 12th in the Premier League table, having won just one game.<\/p>\n

They were also eliminated from the League Cup after\u00a0suffering a shock 4-0 loss to MK Dons.<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Source: BBC<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Former Manchester United defender Phil Neville says the club may need to spend another \u00a3100m on players before they can compete for the league title. United\u00a0lost 5-3 to Leicester\u00a0on Saturday, but Neville says he “wasn’t surprised with the result”. “I know United have spent \u00a3150m,” Neville told BBC Radio 5 live. “I think there’s another […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":50239,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[],"tags":[29,3],"yoast_head":"\nPhil Neville: Manchester United are '\u00a3100m off winning title' - Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. 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