Full transcript of the Manchester United midfield debate between Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has left club record signing Paul Pogba and £ 40m summer arrival Donny van de Beek out of his starting lineup for United’s last two games after the international break.

The return of Fred and Scott McTominay to a midfield pivot has led to a stronger defensive base and a rebound in form after a difficult start to the season.

It has raised questions about Pogba’s long-term future at the club as Solskjaer struggles to make things work alongside January’s arrival, Bruno Fernandes, in the starting lineup.

The subject of United’s trio of midfielders was extensively debated by club legend Gary Neville and former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher on Sky Sports Monday Night Football.

Here’s what they said about United’s midfield.

Speaking initially of Manchester United’s 0-0 draw with Chelsea, Neville said: “I think the general pattern in the league, of all the goals in the first part of the season, these two coaches [Solskjaer and Chelsea’s Frank Lampard] they were in a situation where they were beginning to reflect on themselves, all the possibilities they were granting. They seemed naive.

Manchester United are 15th in the league, their first part of the season, their worst start at Old Trafford in 50 years. They were conceding too many chances, too many goals, and if you look at the first three games of the season at Old Trafford for Manchester United this season, 11 goals conceded, 18 shots per game faced, six on goal, high goals were expected.

Then look at the last two games – there has been a massive mindset shift. Before the game, the big debate was whether Manchester United would keep the five behind. As Chelsea did, would they go with the back three, or would they go back to the back four?

“It’s a bit of a sideshow actually if United play a five or a four. The key has been what is in front of him. You look at Manchester United at the beginning of the season and they were playing McTominay and Pogba in midfield.

“Pogba, a player in midfield completely different from Fred, McTominay and Matic. They were caught ahead of the ball. Pogba, with Fernandes, both players with an offensive vocation. Both thinking about creating, scoring goals more than defending and going the other way. He was leaving United isolated.

“Crystal Palace absolutely destroyed Manchester United that day, they were in that rear four too easily, too many occasions, and those two centrals are not good one against one, especially Maguire with his rhythm. This is against Brighton, who had an absolute barrage of opportunities, and you look at midfield – it’s Matic and it’s Pogba.

“As the game unfolds, Luke Shaw goes down the left side, Paul Pogba is trying to advance from a two in midfield. Paul Scholes did that for many years alongside Roy Keane, it’s not unusual. You see him running past his man, Fernandes gives him away.

“Suddenly, you have it again. If you look at Paul Pogba slowly, he is actually pointing towards Wan-Bissaka. He is actually saying ‘chase it, I don’t want to go back there’. He wants the rest of the team to do that for him and ultimately leads Manchester United to concede opportunity after opportunity.

“It ended with a pretty horrible day for them against Tottenham at home, where they finished 6-1. Coming out of the international break, what is the difference? The big difference is that Ole Gunnar Solskaer this week has returned to what served him well last season.

“It’s that box: Lindelof, Maguire, Fred, McTominay. Everyone had a defensive mentality, all quick to get to the ball, particularly those two who were in front of those center-backs.

“Every time Manchester United attacked and the ball exploded in Chelsea’s midfield, they covered it like a rash. Those two, how aggressive they are, they are focused, quick on the ball, quick to react and recycle the ball.

“What he also did is that when Manchester United tries to score a goal, it is a platform. They also allow Manchester United wingers Wan-Bissaka and Shaw to be really aggressive. Instead of Lindelof and Maguire getting caught, those two midfielders get really aggressive to the side, they’re working together.

“McTominay doesn’t win it and then Fred wins it. You see what happens, it just means that two of Lindelof and Maguire are less exposed. For me, Ole almost somehow thought, ‘I need to go back to basics, I can’t keep granting opportunities.’

“He has the problem in the stands with Van de Beek and Pogba, but he’s back to basics this week and that means it’s harder to play against them and they’re conceding fewer goals and chances.”

When asked what that means for Bruno Fernandes, Neville added: “That’s the other side. Fernandes has not been so good when Pogba or Van de Beek have also played. It hasn’t been that good. He is the star man. He has rejuvenated United since January. He had the freedom to run where he wanted to go in that 10th position.

“Bruno Fernandes when he plays with Fred and McTominay, the shots on goal are double, the opportunities created in open play, almost double. Passes to the rival area, 14 against 9.2. Dribble much higher and lower, when you look at when Fernandes, Fred, McTominay play together, and there are some big games in those nine, they haven’t lost. They won six, they tied three.

“I think Ole looked at it this week and said, ‘Look, let’s get back to the basics, we know these three can play together. We were in trouble before the international break, conceding chances on the left, right and center. Tottenham made us 6-1, Crystal Palace is beating us at home and looked comfortable, Brighton away we were lucky. He thought, ‘well, I have to have a base this season’ and he has done it with this midfield.

Carragher added: “I actually admire (Ole Gunnar) Solskjaer for putting Pogba on the bench.

“I said here a few weeks ago, after the Crystal Palace game, Fernandes and Pogba, they are not a midfield together, they cannot play together and they never will be.

“Van de Beek, I don’t understand the signing, I really don’t understand how he’s going to play or where he’s going to fit in. As soon as he signed, I thought he would be No. 10, Fernandes plays there, Pogba can play there and you look at him now, and it’s better for the team in terms of having Fred and Scott McTominay there.

“But Fred and McTominay are not good enough for Manchester United, nor are they good enough to compete in the Premier League. And the big problem for me is Paul Pogba, he has been for a long time. Bruno Fernandes is the man in that. 10th position, but I don’t know how Ole can continue without picking a £ 90 million player to return to the team. But for me, he and Fernandes will never work out. “

Neville replied, “I understand what Jamie is saying. I think it’s a problem when you have midfielders worth £ 150 million in the bank.

“You have a player who won the World Cup, he’s been dominant in Europe with Juventus, he’s Manchester United’s record signing and yet he can’t get into the team right now.

“Patrice Evra and I did not agree before the game on Saturday. Patrice was disappointed with the team that was selected because he felt that Manchester United were rotating and not playing with their strongest team. I think Ole on Saturday thought it was the strongest team.

“For me, I have never understood why Ole has not tried it, maybe he has seen it in training and he doesn’t like it, why he hasn’t tried a babysitter with Pogba and Fernandes at the helm.

“Like De Bruyne and Silva. De Bruyne and Silva weren’t disciplined midfielders before Pep Guardiola came to Manchester City. He turned them into that. That’s the only system I can see where it would be obvious where those two could get into. a position.

“Most of the time, Ole played Matic and Pogba sitting next to each other with Fernandes in front. Pogba can’t play well there because I think that in that position you have to be disciplined. But I think with one and two you can have a little more freedom to run forward. “

The pair revisited the debate after the game, but could not come to a full agreement on Pogba’s role.

Carragher said, “Gary, after four years, we are still debating where you stand …”

Neville replied: “To be honest with you, if you told me that De Bruyne would become what he became with Pep Guardiola, I would have said ‘there’s no chance, there’s no way he can be as good on defense as he is in a’ sense. Of attack ‘.

“That is what he has done, his transition from attack to defense is incredible now with Pep Guardiola. It never was before he arrived. He was a massive luxury player in the sense that he was a brilliant player, De Bruyne, before Guardiola came to Manchester City, but with the ball, not without him.

“He was trained, he was transferred to a position that he made his own, so I don’t lose hope that Matic, Pogba, Fernandes won’t be able to play together in those three.

“There comes a point where Paul Pogba’s burden on your shoulder is going to shine brightly on Ole and he’s going to have to get him into the team at some point, along with Fernandes. As he did after the confinement in which they did well together, they obtained good results. I think it could happen again. I don’t share your pessimism about him. “

Carragher: “But how, after four years at Manchester United, do we keep talking about finding his best position and can Ole get more out of it? Can you add more discipline to your game?

“He’s been there four years. Explain that to me, so if he’s as good as you think or you think Ole can put him on the team, why are we having these conversations now?

“It’s almost like you’re hoping or believing that he may be something that he hasn’t been for four years. I don’t understand where you’re thinking with that.”

Neville: “This debate about whether they can play together or whether they can be on the team together.

“If you had told me 10 years ago I would have said no, forget it, but the way I see the teams evolve now, with Manchester City winning the league with Agüero, Sterling, Sane, De Bruyne, Silva and Fernandinho as forwards six “.

Carragher: “But they have discipline! You keep going to these players, these are players who have won leagues. They won leagues before Pep Guardiola arrived …

Neville: “You can’t tell me Raheem Sterling …”

Carragher: “Raheem Sterling is an amazing player!”

Neville: “I know, but before Pep Guardiola came along he wasn’t as good as he has been since then, just like Kevin De Bruyne.”
Carragher: “So you are blaming the managers?”

Neville: “No, my point is they have only had six months and part of that has been locked up.”

Carragher: “Been there four years!”

Neville: “No, but Ole has had six months to try to unite Fernandes and Pogba.”