I couldn't shake Man City star's hand before derby - you can't do what he did to Man United

Manchester United will face bitter local rivals Manchester City on Sunday with both Premier League teams hoping to earn the bragging rights

Gary Neville snubbed a Peter Schmeichel handshake in 2002(Image: Sky Sports)

Gary Neville refused to shake hands with Peter Schmeichel in a 2002 Manchester derby due to his annoyance at the goalkeeper’s move to rivals Manchester City.

Schmeichel left United for Sporting CP after the Treble win in 1999, and wasn’t expected to ever return to the Premier League.

His time in Portugal was brief, though, and he joined Aston Villa after two seasons in Lisbon before finishing his career at Maine Road.

"When you look back now and you're 43, like I am, there's two things about that," Neville told the podcast Quickly Kevin, Will He Score in 2018.

"One, he left Man United at the age of whatever he was, 35, and he said he was retiring, basically to go abroad.

Schmeichel joined Manchester City for the 2002-03 season(Image: Daily Mirror)

"At the time when he came back, he played for Manchester City. You can't play for Manchester City.

"I'm a United fan and I can't play for Manchester City, I can't play for Leeds and I can't play for Liverpool.

"That's just written in stone. You just don't play for those clubs, irrespective of what happens."

Neville pointed out that United struggled to properly replace Schmeichel until Edwin van der Sar joined from Fulham in 2005, indicating it would have been helpful to keep the Dane on board.

In the derby in question, when Fabien Barthez was in goal for United, Schmeichel's City ended up 3-1 winners.

Gary Neville in Manchester United's 2002 derby defeat(Image: Matthew Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images)

Neville also said the siege mentality instilled by Sir Alex Ferguson, where "Everybody hated us, we all hated everybody. That's the way it was," made him unlikely to act warmly towards any opponent.

Indeed, he was a firm believer in shaking hands after matches rather than before them, waiting until the job was done.

"All I'm thinking about before that game is [my first challenge]," Neville added.

"The idea of talking to a player from the opposition - that would distract me.

"So you say about not shaking hands with Peter Schmeichel, but I didn't shake hands with my brother when he was captain of Everton.

"And that's not because I don't like my brother - I do like him, he's all right."

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