Gary Neville’s Manchester United verdict: Marcus Rashford’s big moment, Ralf Rangnick in control | Football News

Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville gives his reaction to Manchester United’s late win over West Ham, calling it a “big moment” for Marcus Rashford.

Speaking on The Gary Neville Podcast, the former United defender talks about the importance of Rashford playing with “passion and fire” and how Ralf Rangnick has come out of a tough week stronger than he started it.

Read on for the former Manchester United defender’s verdict or listen to the podcast below…

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‘Rashford’s needs passion and fire’

“There was a lot of questions being asked of Marcus Rashford,” Neville said.

“I’m not quite sure it’s fair to suggest that he’s distracted by off-field events as soon as he has a difficult patch. That’s the easy thing to say because no one knows why he’s having a difficult patch. It could be for a number of reasons: injury, loss of form, confidence, the team not playing well.

“But it’s the easy thing to do, to point towards the off-field stuff. It was a big thing for him. The thing for me about Marcus Rashford is, yesterday when I saw him celebrate that goal, it brought joy to him and I think that’s the most important thing when you are a football player.

“Passion and joy. I’m not saying you have to walk around with a smile on your face because I was as miserable as sin when I was playing football and, to be fair, quite often cantankerous and argumentative! I want to see joy or passion or fire; I don’t want to see that face of nothing.

“I think Marcus, in the last couple of months or so, has just looked drained in his face of any energy or spirit and that can’t happen. You can have fire, you can have anger, you can have joy – all of those different emotions, but we need emotion, we can’t have lack of emotion.

“It was a big moment for him and hopefully that now gives him the confidence to rise against, puff his chest out and do the things that he does because he is an excellent striker, an excellent forward.”

A good week for Rangnick?

“A very good week,” Neville added.

“Tough games – I say tough games, but games you think Manchester United would win. But with the way in which they have been playing, you are not quite sure anymore and I think the first half at Brentford, they rode their luck, but then got there in the second half and yesterday, there was that little bit of something happening sometimes which goes in your favour.

“I think Ralf Rangnick comes out of this week stronger than he started the week because of events that have occured. I think everyone has seen what is happening and they are backing him and I feel that he feels stronger and more in control than he maybe was a week or two ago. The goal in the last minute is a big one. A big one for the club and a big one for the scorer. I think it was really important.”