7 times Gary Neville showed his true colors amid backlash over Liverpool commentary

As if watching Liverpool fall to a fourth consecutive defeat at the hands of Manchester United wasn’t bad enough, Reds fans also found themselves having to listen to Gary Neville celebrating their side’s latest demise.

The Red Devils’ former captain has made no secret of where his allegiances lie since he hung up his boots and turned his hand to punditry, although in actively cheering and shouting “Get in!” after Harry Maguire’s winner while on commentary for Sky Sports on Sunday, he strayed well beyond any boundaries of unprofessionalism he has previously shown.

It’s no surprise Neville is facing backlash over his antics. But then, this is far from the first time he has let his support of United get in the way of his professional duties - and in some cases, common sense - when it comes to him and Liverpool.

The former Manchester United captain has made quite the habit of getting it horribly wrong when it comes to Liverpool in recent years. In fact, the more cynical fan might suggest a degree of bias from the man who famously celebrated in front of travelling Reds fans at Old Trafford.

While everyone else - even Spurs fans - seemed to be in no doubt that Liverpool would beat Tottenham in the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final at Anfield last season, Gary had other ideas.

“I think Tottenham are going to get a draw," he boldly stated on the US version of his podcast, The Overlap. "I don’t know how they’re going to get a draw at Anfield, but I feel like it’s going to be an emotional, mad night where something happens."

Something did happen - namely, Spurs were played off the park by Liverpool. From the very first minute at Anfield, it never looked like Ange Postecoglou’s side were going to get any sort of result, and the 4-0 scoreline flattered them in the end.

What was telling though was that everyone saw it coming. Jamie Carragher insisted afterward that the result was never in doubt, even before the game, making Neville’s prediction all the more baffling.

Of course, his most infamous case of crystal ball-gazing came in August 2019. Liverpool had been crowned European champions that summer, having finished just a point behind Manchester City in the Premier League - yet Neville chose a rather steep hill to die on.

"I can guarantee you as clear as day that Manchester United will win again," he said while predicting when his former side would next be in the race for the title. "They will win again, no problem. They will win the league again. They will probably win the league before Liverpool, in my opinion. And that is not being disrespectful but I think they will win the league before Liverpool."

Less than 12 months later, Jordan Henderson was lifting the Premier League trophy at Anfield after Liverpool had stormed to a first league title in 30 years. Incidentally, the Reds finished 33 points ahead of United that season.

Even since that prediction came crashing down in spectacular fashion, Neville has not been one to shy away from making big claims when it comes to United and Liverpool, no matter how much they could blow up in his face.

"I've never been as confident coming here in nine years as a Manchester United fan,” Neville brashly exclaimed at Anfield in March 2023. “Honestly, this bunch [of United players] are tough."

Neville would then have the pleasure of commentating on that "tough" side getting annihilated 7-0 by Liverpool. You’d think that might encourage him to tone down his assertions, but no.

Just a few months later, off the back of United claiming a top-four finish ahead of the Reds, Neville began the new season by writing off Liverpool’s summer rebuild in midfield, insisting that Jurgen Klopp would happily swap his options with Erik ten Hag’s.

While Klopp’s business helped his side return to the top table of European football, Ten Hag’s extravagant shopping spree would see United finish eighth, with Kobbie Mainoo having to be dragged up from the academy to save an ailing engine room.

Surely then, Neville wouldn’t make the same mistake last season? You know what's coming.

He incredibly doubled down on his claim from the previous year, insisting that United still had better options in midfield - a claim that was spectacularly ripped apart shortly after as Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai ran rings around Casemiro and Mainoo in a 3-0 win for Liverpool at Old Trafford, with the former embarrassingly having to be hooked at half-time after a disastrous performance.

You might think that was Neville’s worst call that season, but no. That title came earlier in the summer when he decided that, against all reasonable thought, United would finish in the top four - ahead of Liverpool, who he rather sensationally suggested wouldn’t even reach the top six.

We all know what happened next. Liverpool went on to claim its 20th top flight title, equaling United's record in the process, while the Red Devils could only manage a 15th-place finish - a staggering 42 points behind the Reds.

Quite why Neville continually lets his support of United get in the way of his duties as a supposedly impartial observer, only he will know. For any Liverpool fans disgruntled with his antics on Sunday, don't worry - history shows he will be regretting them fairly soon.

An original version of this article was first published on February 8, 2025.