It was supposed to be another step forward for Manchester United, but instead, Saturday’s match against Nottingham Forest felt like a familiar setback.
After weeks of steady improvement, the Red Devils once again let a lead slip away — and that’s drawn the ire of former club captain Gary Neville, who believes the team’s experienced core simply isn’t delivering.
United’s Momentum Falters at the City Ground
Under Ruben Amorim, Manchester United seemed to be turning a corner.
Three consecutive victories — including impressive wins over Sunderland, Liverpool, and Brighton — had fans daring to hope that the team had finally found rhythm.
But against Forest, that fragile confidence took a hit.
United went ahead in the first half thanks to Casemiro, only to collapse minutes after halftime, conceding twice in two minutes.
While Amad Diallo’s stunning long-range strike in the 81st minute salvaged a point, the draw meant United slipped from fifth to eighth in the Premier League table.
They nearly snatched victory at the end, but Forest’s Murillo denied them with a desperate goal-line clearance.
Neville Blames the “Ageing Spine”
After the final whistle, Gary Neville didn’t hold back.
Speaking on The Overlap podcast with Betfair’s Stick to Cricket show, he argued that Manchester United’s senior players — the so-called “spine” — should be doing much better.
“I think the spine of a football team is critical,” Neville explained.
“When I first came into Manchester United, we had Schmeichel, Bruce, Pallister, Keane, and Cantona — all of them were incredibly strong, reliable, and consistent.”
Drawing comparisons, he pointed to today’s lineup. “You look at Maguire and De Ligt — with all their experience, they should be performing at a higher level.
De Ligt’s played at the top of world football, and Maguire’s been a mainstay for England.
Then you’ve got Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes, two players with massive experience.
“That spine — Maguire, De Ligt, Casemiro, and Bruno — may be ageing, but it should still be strong enough to hold things together better than it is.”
Comparing United’s Struggles to Liverpool’s Stability
Neville also highlighted what sets Liverpool apart. “Look at Liverpool,” he said.
“They’ve got Alisson, Van Dijk, Mac Allister, and Gravenberch in midfield — a solid core that supports the entire team.”
By contrast, Manchester United’s defence has been anything but stable.
Despite scoring twice or more in their last four matches, the team continues to leak goals.
They’ve already conceded 16 goals, the worst defensive record among the Premier League’s top-half teams.
Amorim’s Tactical Gamble
Part of the problem lies in Amorim’s tactical setup.
In an effort to fit in summer signings like Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, and Benjamin Sesko, the manager has pushed Bruno Fernandes — arguably United’s most creative attacker — into a deeper midfield role beside Casemiro.
That decision has weakened United’s defensive balance.
To make matters more complex, Amorim has also used Amad Diallo, a winger by trade, as a full-back, and rotated his central defenders.
He’s often trusted a mix of Matthijs de Ligt, Harry Maguire, and 19-year-old Leny Yoro to form the defensive line.
The Veterans Under the Microscope
Both Maguire and De Ligt have had very different journeys to Old Trafford.
De Ligt, once hailed as one of Europe’s finest young centre-backs, arrived last season with experience from Ajax, Juventus, and Bayern Munich.
Maguire, meanwhile, joined for a then-record £80 million in 2019 and has fought hard to win back his place in Amorim’s first team after a difficult few years.
However, Maguire was benched for the Forest match, replaced by Luke Shaw — a decision that raised eyebrows.
Even so, Maguire did provide United’s best moment of the season just weeks ago, scoring a dramatic late winner against Liverpool at Anfield, reminding fans why he remains a key figure when in form.
What’s Next for United
Manchester United now head to north London for a high-stakes clash against Tottenham Hotspur.
Spurs, under Thomas Frank, are also feeling the pressure after their fans booed them off the pitch following a 1-0 home defeat to Chelsea last weekend.
Both sides have something to prove — but for United, the challenge runs deeper than just tactics.
As Gary Neville made clear, it’s time for their veterans to rediscover the reliability that once defined Old Trafford’s great teams.