Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images
Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images
Gary Neville and Roy Keane might face better opposition for a more valid critique of Manchester United’s 2026-27 campaign under Michael Carrick at Old Trafford.
Both Roy Keane and Gary Neville were incredibly vocal about Manchester United’s 2025-26 campaign, both before and during Michael Carrick’s reign at the club.
The two Manchester United legends will no doubt voice their feelings on the new season, whether on Sky Sports or on The Overlap’s Stick to Football podcast.
Neville and Keane have often been criticised by United fans for being ‘too negative’ towards the Red Devils, but that sentiment could deepen even further going forward.
READ MORE: If Mason Mount stays fit, Man Utd No 7’s ‘new’ role under Michael Carrick could play out in 2026-27 season
Roy Keane and Gary Neville work ahead of the League Cup final match between Manchester United and Newcastle United at Wembley Stadium, England, in 2023.
Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images
Wayne Rooney’s improvement in punditry could bring the right ‘balance’ that Gary Neville and Roy Keane lack for Man Utd
Wayne Rooney was a key pundit for the BBC during this summer’s World Cup and did not shy away from his praise and criticism for England’s run in North America.
Manchester United’s all-time leading scorer has built himself more into a media personality since his ill-fated managerial spell at Plymouth Argyle ended in 2024.
Rooney, who also hosts a BBC Sport podcast, has been showing major signs of improvement in handling himself on camera during his punditry duties.
Getty Images
The Athletic spoke to an unnamed ‘friend’ of Rooney and it was said that the United legend made some “really uncompromising points” about England at the World Cup.
“He likes to show his down-to-earth side,” the friend told The Athletic.
“There’s also a recognition that talking about England, for him, is a different type of skill to talking about something like Manchester United.
“An England game is watched by everyone; it’s not about club colours, and as he was only recently overtaken by Harry Kane for the most caps of any England outfield player, Wayne is very well equipped to say what it means to play for your country.
“You could see how disappointed he was after the Argentina game, and fans relate to that, while at the same time he made some really uncompromising points.”
READ MORE: Bryan Mbeumo is not only Benjamin Sesko’s striker back-up as he fulfils vital role at Man Utd for Michael Carrick
Getty Images
Rooney’s punditry in the 2026-27 season could show a much more measured approach, which the likes of Gary Neville and Roy Keane really need to adopt.
The former Man Utd captain has a longstanding relationship with Michael Carrick, but it won’t stop him from giving fair and balanced verdicts on Man Utd.
Unlike Keane, Rooney does not need to turn into a pantomime villain or drop the same one-dimensional — and emotional — rants about United on punditry.
Rooney is honestly likely to become United fans’ preferred pick for a more focused approach to analysis of Carrick’s first season in charge in the upcoming campaign.