Gary Neville and Daniel Sturridge have heated clash as Man Utd hero told Liverpool 'truth'

Gary Neville and Daniel Sturridge clashed on live TV as the pair discussed Liverpool's struggles this season, with the former dismissing the fellow pundit's theory

Gary Neville and Daniel Sturridge clashed on Sky Sports about Liverpool's struggles this season(Image: Sky Sports)

Things got heated in the Sky Sports studio as the topic of Liverpool’s poor form this season was discussed.

The Reds take on Arsenal today, with Arne Slot’s side looking to narrow what has become a huge gap to the Premier League leaders. Liverpool sits 14 points behind behind the Gunners, with Mikel Arteta’s side on course to claim the visitors’ crown.

There has been much discussion about Liverpool’s drop-off following last season’s title win. The club of course embarked on a major overhaul of the squad during the summer, spending big on the likes of Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz, while Trent Alexander-Arnold and Luis Diaz, among others, departed.

Former Liverpool striker Sturridge has argued that the exits of some of those key players, and the new arrivals’ inability to hit the ground running, is the biggest factor behind the Reds’ struggles. Ex-Manchester United captain Neville was having none of it though.

The pair clashed in a heated argument live on television ahead of kick-off at the Emirates Stadium, with Neville, Sturridge and Roy Keane discussing Liverpool's drop-off.

Neville and Sturridge's argument in full

Neville: It’s a mystery as to why they’ve dropped so much. I was just speaking to Daniel there, and that team Liverpool have picked tonight, nine of those players would be in Liverpool’s best team.

The goalkeeper, the back four is the back four, Bradley’s the best right-back, Kerkez is the best left-back, your two center-halves are your two center-halves. The midfield three is the best midfield three, Wirtz would be in the team, Salah was never going to be here tonight because of AFCON, so really Ekitike or Isak is the only player tonight missing for Liverpool.

They should be really competitive, they’re a team full of experience. I can’t work out, it’s a mystery to me.

Keane: It’s the strength in depth, you look at their bench at the moment.

Liverpool already looks to be out of the running for the title(Image: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Neville: I get that, my point is they’re still playing well below. They’ve got nine of their best players out here tonight playing on this pitch. It’s not as if they’ve got six missing, or five missing, they’ve got one man missing on the right wing…

Sturridge: So what are you saying?

Neville: They’re in a great run of form in terms of results, I get that the fact that they’re not playing perfectly. The question I was asking is, I don’t know, it’s a mystery to me why they’ve dropped off so much.

What’s happened? Have they got to the top of the mountain, which sometimes we’ve seen over the last 20, 30 years, they’ve won the league, and then they went ‘we did it’, and they basically relaxed.

Is that what’s happened? Are we to question their mentality, or are we saying there are other things, because there’s a bit of me that’s thinking it must be a bit of that as well.

Sturridge: Luis Diaz was one of the best players they had last season.

Neville: But they sold him!

Sturridge: I’m just saying, you’ve said it’s a mystery, I’m giving you a solution to the mystery that you just mentioned.

Neville: They chose to sell him.

Sturridge: Luis Diaz was the best attacker from last season. Salah set all the records, yes, but Luis Diaz was tenacious up front, pressing, scoring goals, creating chances, right?

Trent Alexander-Arnold was the most creative right-back we’ve seen in the last 15 years of the Premier League, is that correct? He doesn’t play for the club anymore.

We’re talking about two key players that aren’t at the football club. Jarell Quansah, center-back, when Konate and Virgil aren’t playing well, Quansah was there. Where’s Quansah? He doesn’t play for the football club anymore.

Neville: I’m not buying that.

Sturridge: That’s the truth Gary! Whether you like it or not, particular players, the players they’ve signed - Ekitike and Isak come in, Ekitike’s hit the ground running, Isak unfortunately hasn’t hit the ground running, right? Ekitike’s not here tonight.

He’s been the best attacker for the club, scored the most goals, been the most consistent this season.

All in all, when you look at the squad and you go ‘well last season to this season, there’s a big difference’. The big difference is they’ve lost key players, and the players that have come in haven’t performed to the level that the players they lost performed at, that’s the truth!