When will Gary Neville learn? Well, if this week is anything to go by, never.
The former Manchester United captain has made quite the habit of getting it horribly wrong when it comes to Liverpool in recent years. In fact, the more cynical fan might suggest a degree of bias from the man who famously celebrated in front of travelling Reds fans at Old Trafford.
He certainly isn’t using any recent evidence, as was made abundantly clear earlier this week. While everyone else – even Spurs fans – seemed to be in no doubt that Liverpool would beat Tottenham in the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final at Anfield, Gary had other ideas.
“I think Tottenham are going to get a draw,” he boldly stated on the US version of his podcast, The Overlap. “I don’t know how they’re going to get a draw at Anfield, but I feel like it’s going to be an emotional, mad night where something happens.”
Something did happen – namely, Spurs were played off the park by Liverpool. From the very first minute at Anfield, it never looked like Ange Postecoglou’s side were going to get any sort of result, and the 4-0 scoreline flattered them in the end.
What was telling though was that everyone saw it coming. Jamie Carragher insisted afterward that the result was never in doubt, even before the game, making Neville’s prediction all the more baffling.
We shouldn’t be surprised though. It’s not the first time he’s got it spectacularly wrong when predicting Liverpool, and it’s not even his worst effort this season.
Of course, his most infamous case of crystal ball-gazing came in August 2019. Liverpool had been crowned European champions that summer, having finished just a point behind Manchester City in the Premier League – yet Neville chose a rather steep hill to die on.
“I can guarantee you as clear as day that Manchester United will win again,” he said while predicting when his former side would next be in the race for the title. “They will win again, no problem. They will win the league again. They will probably win the league before Liverpool, in my opinion. And that is not being disrespectful but I think they will win the league before Liverpool.”
Less than 12 months later, Jordan Henderson was lifting the Premier League trophy at Anfield after Liverpool had stormed to a first league title in 30 years. Incidentally, the Reds finished 33 points ahead of United that season.
Even since that prediction came crashing down in spectacular fashion, Neville has not been one to shy away from making big claims when it comes to United and Liverpool, no matter how much they could blow up in his face.
“I’ve never been as confident coming here in nine years as a Manchester United fan,” Neville brashly exclaimed at Anfield in March 2023. “Honestly, this bunch [of United players] are tough.”
Neville would then have the pleasure of commentating on his beloved side getting annihilated 7-0 by Liverpool. You’d think that might encourage him to tone down his assertions, but no.
Just a few months later, off the back of United claiming a top-four finish ahead of the Reds, Neville began the new season by writing off Liverpool’s summer rebuild in midfield, insisting that Jurgen Klopp would happily swap his options with Erik ten Hag’s.
While Klopp’s business helped his side return to the top table of European football, Ten Hag’s extravagant shopping spree would see United finish eighth, with Kobbie Mainoo having to be dragged up from the academy to save an ailing engine room.
Surely then, Neville wouldn’t make the same mistake this season? You know what’s coming.
He incredibly doubled down on his claim from the previous year, insisting that United still had better options in midfield – a claim that was spectacularly ripped apart shortly after as Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai ran rings around Casemiro and Mainoo, with the former embarrassingly having to be hooked at half-time after a disastrous performance.
You might think that was Neville’s worst call this season, but no. That title came earlier in the summer when he decided that, against all reasonable thought, United would finish in the top four – ahead of Liverpool, who he rather sensationally suggested wouldn’t even reach the top six.
At the time of writing, Arne Slot’s side is six points clear at the top of the table after 23 games, while United is 27 points below them in 13th, having played a game more. Technically, Neville isn’t wrong on that particular prediction yet, although it would take quite an incredible set of circumstances for him to be proved right.
With Liverpool still in the hunt for four trophies this season, there’s plenty of time for the Reds to really rub it in. And if they need any help in their search for silverware, we’re sure Neville would be only too happy to stick his foot in it with some more predictions.