Neville Reveals Why He Wants to Stop Commentating on Man City Games Until Club’s Legal Case Is Resolved

Gary Neville says he wants to be taken off Manchester City games for the next few months, because the club’s legal troubles are making it hard for him to enjoy the football.

The Sky Sports pundit made the request after City beat Liverpool 3-0 at Anfield. City have appealed after an independent panel found them guilty of 114 charges over breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules. Neville said the situation has weighed on him as a broadcaster. 

“We were just doing the podcast then and said if you could take me off Manchester City games moving forward for the next few months until the verdicts have been heard, I would be absolutely delighted,” he said.

He did praise midfielder Elliot Anderson, who cost £116 million, after the win, but admitted it was hard to focus on the game itself. 

“At the end of the game it is quite hard because you are imagining basically if these guilty verdicts are confirmed in January or February then Manchester City are not going to be in the position they are in and there is going to be a huge cloud hanging over the whole league, which is not good for the Premier League right now and that is what I have just recognised today,” Neville said.

He and fellow pundit Jamie Carragher were also keen to point out that the players and staff should not take the blame for what the club’s owners and bosses may have done. Neville said the squad are the ones who have to deal with the fallout. 

“That’s the problem for the Man City staff, players and supporters, they are blameless in all of this. The stain, stigma, reputational damage that hits them, it’s nothing to do with them but they have to face it on the pitch, in the stadium, week after week,” he said.

City now face a long wait while the appeals process and a hearing on possible punishments continue, with a final answer expected early next year.