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Gary Neville on Manchester United and their 'reality check'

"I watched players pretending to run back, making it look like they're running back quickly, but jogging. It's rubbish"

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Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher discuss the dramatic reversal of fortunes at Manchester United after such a promising start to life under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Gary Neville says his “blood is boiling” after watching Manchester United players “pretending to run back” during their Champions League defeat in Barcelona.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side were beaten 3-0 in the Nou Camp, losing the quarter-final tie 4-0 on aggregate, and have lost five of their last seven matches in all competitions since beating Paris Saint-Germain at the start of March.

Solskjaer said his players needed a "reality check" ahead of Sunday's match at Everton, and Neville agreed with his former teammate, given the team's recent performances.

"I'm simmering, to be honest with you," he told Sky Sports. "My blood's about to boil because I didn't buy into that these players were always fantastic when they started winning for those two or three months.

"When you think about the game we did against Liverpool where everything was perfect, Ole had got the players playing again and Jose Mourinho was a 'bum', basically it was all down to Jose.

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"Now we're seeing, and what Ole talked about on Friday, is that there is a reality check. I think it's a reality check for all of us.

"I went to Barcelona on Wednesday night and I watched players pretending to run back, making it look like they're running back quickly, but jogging. It's rubbish.

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"I think what we're seeing now is what the players are. There is a lot of distraction around contracts and this is a big week.

"I'll keep my counsel around individuals for this week because, to be fair, they have had some difficult games and they went on an amazing run, but it is Everton today, Manchester City midweek, and then Chelsea next Sunday.

Paul Pogba, Manchester United, Champions vs Barcelona at the Nou Camp
Image: Paul Pogba was part of the Man Utd team beaten 3-0 by Barcelona

"Next Sunday evening is the time to reflect because Manchester United will essentially know then whether they're going to achieve Champions League football this season.

"It's big week for them. Ole said that the attitude was good. He hasn't changed his language, but he has in the last week when he's seen things that have concerned him. He says some of the players need a reality check, we can see it with our own eyes what's going on there.

"We can feel it, we can smell it, and that's why my blood is boiling. But I think it's another week before we can go for the players fully."

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