With the benefit of hindsight, Gary Neville would perhaps best be advised to stay well clear of early predictions concerning Liverpool and Manchester United.
The pair’s current fortunes could not be more different at the time of writing. The Merseysiders sit at the top of the tree heading into Christmas, whilst a 3-2 defeat to Nottingham Forest consigned the Red Devils to 13th in the Premier League table – 16 points behind Arne Slot’s side.
It’s a good thing the Sky Sports pundit didn’t commit to a £5k bet with Jamie Carragher over the two sides’ final positioning in the table, eh!
Gary Neville can kiss goodbye to £5k
Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville stand in the pouring rain.
(Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Oh, Gary.
Some fans may remember Neville and Jamie Carragher discussing their generous £5k bet for charity early on in the 2024/25 campaign.
The former United fullback had backed his old club to finish above the Merseysiders in the league table this term.
Hilariously, Roy Keane threw his support behind the 49-year-old, telling viewers: “I think United [will win the bet and finish above Liverpool]. If they stay fit with their star players.”
Who will finish higher Liverpool or Manchester United? @GNev2 and @Carra23 have a £5000 bet for charity! 👀🤑 pic.twitter.com/GGj5u7SisK
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 16, 2024
Now, a lot can change over the course of the season, but we quite simply can’t see Manchester United making up a 16-point gap over their arch rivals this season, even accounting for Ruben Amorim’s arrival.
Bear in mind also that the postponement of the Merseyside derby, owing to adverse weather conditions, means that we’ve got a game in hand over the Old Trafford-dwelling outfit.
We’d be extremely confident if we were in Carragher’s shoes!
When are Liverpool next playing?
There’s some much-needed respite for the Liverpool squad ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League trip to Girona.
We’ll then return to Premier League action on the Saturday with our hosting of Marco Silva’s impressive Fulham side on December 14.