Manchester United legend Gary Neville has issued a sincere apology for his comments on former Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius, which the Sky Sports pundit now regrets
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Gary Neville
Gary Neville was in a sombre mood when discussing his punditry regrets
(Image: YouTube/StickToFootball)
Gary Neville has offered a genuine apology for his public criticism of former Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius. During the festive episode of the Stick to Football podcast, presented by Sky Bet, the Manchester United icon began reflecting on his commentary career when ex-West Ham forward Marlon Harewood posed an unexpected question.
Neville, who has become known for his memorable punditry over the past decade, expressed regret over certain remarks he's made in the past.
Among his greatest remorseful comments was his public call-out of the German stopper during his time on Merseyside. The 49-year-old confidently stated that Liverpool would not clinch the Premier League title with Karius as goalkeeper.
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While Neville's claim was ultimately validated when Jurgen Klopp secured the club's first Premier League trophy in the 2019-2020 season with Alisson as the number one, the pundit offered up an apology for the veracity of his comments, reports the Mirror.
Having criticised the 31-year-old just five months before his disastrous performance in Liverpool's 3-1 Champions League final loss to Real Madrid, he said: "[Loris] Karius, the Liverpool goalkeeper, the young lad I've been quite direct about him for a period of two to three months.
"Liverpool were getting better under Jurgen Klopp and I remember saying that they'll never ever win the league with that guy [Karius] in the net.
Loris Karius
The 31-year-old never played for Liverpool again after the 2018 Champions League final
"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."
After leaving Newcastle United in the summer following a two-year stint, Karius is currently without a club and recently revealed he is contemplating retirement from football.
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Neville also admitted that branding Chelsea as "billion-dollar bottle jobs" and calling ex-Chelsea and Arsenal star David Luiz a "PlayStation player" are things he could take back.
"I wish I had not said the David Luiz line, about him being a 'PlayStation player'," Neville confessed. His infamous description of Chelsea came on the back of their Carabao Cup final loss to a youthful Liverpool team earlier this year, hampered by injuries.
"I wish I had not said 'billion-dollar bottle jobs'," he conceded. "They're harsh lines that stain a group of players or a manager. David Luiz has never got rid of that. It's a cheap shot really. It's that line of humour meets cheap shot."