Gary Neville bumped into Loris Karius after criticising the former Liverpool goalkeeper live on Sky
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Former Man United defender Gary Neville.
Gary Neville 'hopes' Liverpool don't win a 20th Premier League crown
(Image: Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)
Gary Neville has revealed how he "felt guilty" of his criticism of Loris Karius after a chance meeting with the former Liverpool goalkeeper in a hotel in Italy. The ex-Manchester United captain was a vocal critic of Karius during the shot-stopper's time at Anfield, which led to a riposte from Jurgen Klopp in defence of his player.
Speaking in December 2016, Klopp said: "He (Neville) is not interested in helping a Liverpool player". Karius's last game for the Reds came in the 2018 Champions League final when his two high-profile mistakes contributed to a 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid in Kiev.
Speaking on the latest Stick to Football podcast, Neville said: "Karius, the Liverpool goalkeeper, the young lad – I’ve been quite direct about him for a period of two to three months.
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"Liverpool were getting better under Jurgen Klopp and I remember saying that they’ll never ever win the league with that guy in the net. It’s a strong line for a young goalkeeper. It was probably true five months later back in the Champions League final.
“One time I went to Italy and went to a hotel. I walked into the gym for a session and there was just this big bloke lifting massive weights – it was Karius!
"He could have done many things there and could have had a go at me. It went right through my head on what I said about him, and I know he would’ve known that. But he said: ‘Nice to see you’. And I felt guilty bumping into someone I’ve given a harsh line to.”
Karius initially moved to Besiktas on loan after his Champions League nightmare and left Liverpool permanently at the end of his contract in 2022 before signing for Newcastle United. The 31-year-old is currently without a club.