Neville says he knows who the Manchester United stars are behind ‘DISGUSTING’ leaks about Rangnick

Gary Neville has claimed that he knows who the Manchester United players are behind ‘disgusting’ dressing room leaks undermining Ralf Rangnick and his coaching staff.

Last week, it was claimed that some United players refer to Rangnick’s No 2, Chris Armas, as Ted Lasso – the hapless coach in an Apple+ TV series.

Speaking out on his Sky Sports podcast on Monday, Neville explained: ‘I remember when I joined Sky and we had the Champions League in the early years, and I went over to Napoli to do a game involving Chelsea. It was when Andre Villas-Boas was their manager and he left out Frank Lampard, Michael Essien, Ashley Cole – four or five prominent players.

It was claimed Red Devils stars compare No 2 Chris Armas (left) to Ted Lasso

Lasso’s character is a hapless American coach who takes over a Premier League club 

‘I remember sitting there at lunchtime with our team and they were getting messages of team news being leaked and the manager being slagged off, and I sat there thinking “does this actually happen”?

‘Players agents and PR teams were briefing the media on a matchday about what was going on inside a club, and it was the first time I had seen it and known for it to happen – it really unnerved me.

‘That is happening at Manchester United now – they are at it, the PR teams, the agents and the marketing teams, as a self-preservation for their own player.

‘But what they do not realise is that unfortunately, when they go to the media then those media people go to us – so we know who is briefing. The reality is that we do not like it, but we know who it is.

‘I thought that was downright disrespectful – I did not find it funny at all that they were describing Ralf Rangnick’s No 2 as Ted Lasso and not only was it disrespectful, but I found it disgusting.

‘It sums up what I think of them: that they are disrespectful. I think if I was Ralf Rangnick and his No 2, I would gain strength from that because I would not want to be on the same page of some of those players who are leaking those types of stories.

‘We are not going to throw people under a bus here because we have that journalistic respect – but they are it in the same way that Chelsea were all those years ago.’ 

Neville urged United not to appoint Mauricio Pochettino just to keep the players happy

Neville also hit out at reports United players would prefer Mauricio Pochettino to come in over Ajax boss Erik ten Hag.

‘I don’t like reports saying “players want this manager” – stay out of that. Get your own job right,’ Neville said. 

‘If Pochettino is the choice of the board, appoint him. But they shouldn’t appoint him because of what the players think. I hate to think for one second they are listnening to the players in the dressing room.

‘They have big PR machines – agents, PR machines, social media teams are active and they have been for a good few months. 

‘At this moment in time they are all looking after one another. All that c***, that nonsense is happening behind the scenes at United.’

United were held to a 1-1 draw by Southampton in the Premier League on Saturday

United are fifth in the Premier League but have work to do to break into the top four

United were held to a 1-1 draw by Southampton on Saturday, a further blow to their hopes on breaking into the top four and qualifying for next season’s Champions League.

The Red Devils are fifth in the Premier League, a point behind fourth place West Ham with a game in hand but Arsenal, in sixth, have two games in hand that would see them move fourth if won.

United are back in action on Tuesday night at home to Brighton before a clash against rivals Leeds at Elland Road on Sunday.