Neville blasts United players' lap of honour after chaotic 4-4 draw with Villa

Manchester United’s dramatic 4-4 draw with Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday left Gary Neville furious — not at the result itself, but at what followed the final whistle. With Michael Carrick’s side sitting 18th in the Premier League and winless in eight matches, United’s players took a lap of the pitch to applaud supporters, prompting a sharp rebuke from the former defender on NBC Sports.

“I played for Manchester United 602 times and I always appreciated the fans at the end of the game, but this pattern of them walking around the pitch after defeats by Bournemouth and a 4-4 at home against Aston Villa, it’s almost painful to watch,” Neville said. “They’re almost causing themselves emotional damage. This just can’t go on, can it? It’s absolutely desperate.”

The match itself was a chaotic spectacle. United were 2-0 down inside four minutes after goalkeeper Senne Lammens gifted goals to Alysson and Nicolas Jackson. Bruno Fernandes pulled one back from the penalty spot before Youri Tielemans levelled, only for Villa to retake the lead early in the second half. John McGinn converted from the spot after Diogo Dalot’s foul on Alysson, and Leon Goretzka added a fourth following an error by Leny Yoro.

United’s rescue act came deep in stoppage time, with substitutes Joshua Zirkzee and Patrick Dorgu both scoring to earn a point in a frantic finish. The home fans responded by chanting Carrick’s name, but Neville was unmoved by the sentiment.

“Michael will be proud of them and the fans are singing his name because they love him, but this is a really sorry situation,” he added.

Carrick acknowledged the supporters’ loyalty after the match. “The fans are right behind the players,” he said. “They are desperate to get behind us and for us to give them something to go on and shout about. There’s frustration and disappointment at times, we all feel that.”

Striker Matheus Cunha echoed the frustration from within the dressing room. “I feel like we need to learn from the last seasons. I don’t understand why we put ourselves in this situation,” he said. “I feel like we’re good enough” — though his comments were cut short before he could elaborate.

With United rooted in the relegation zone and no win in eight Premier League outings, the applause laps are likely to remain a contentious topic until results improve.