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Gary Neville Pinpoints Only Time He 'Went Too Far' As TV Pundit After Jurgen Klopp Feud

Gary Neville Pinpoints Only Time He 'Went Too Far' As TV Pundit After Jurgen Klopp Feud

Manchester United legend Gary Neville believes that he might have "overstepped the mark" when it comes to Liverpool player Loris Karius.

Gary Neville has admitted that his scathing criticism of Liverpool player Loris Karius might have been the moment where he “went too far” as a pundit.

The Manchester United legend is widely praised for his punditry and established a superb on-screen partnership with Jamie Carragher in the Sky Sports studio.

However, Neville pulled no punches towards Karius in 2016 after the German shot-stopper failed to impress between the sticks.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp signed the 28-year-old from Mainz in a £4.7m deal, with Karius replacing Simon Mignolet as the Reds’ No 1.

However, Karius was heavily criticised for his subpar performances and consistent howlers, including his two shock errors in the 2018 Champions League final.

Neville ruthlessly slammed Karius in 2016 by suggesting that he is the kind of player who can “transmit anxiety all around the ground, and all through a team.”

PA

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Karius, who was later replaced by Alisson as Liverpool’s No 1, fired back at the Sky Sports pundit by taking a thinly veiled dig at his ill-fated spell as Valencia manager.

And Klopp slammed Neville at the time over his criticisms, with the Liverpool boss claiming that he doesn’t “care much about Liverpool.”

Neville believes that he might have “overstepped the mark” with his punditry on Karius and insisted that he is a “respectable human being.”

Speaking to The Daily Mail, he said: “I think I have overstepped the mark once in punditry when I have attacked a player that was above and beyond what I should have done as an ex-pro, a coach and an owner.

PA

“I think I am a respectable human being. I thought I went too far on Karius. I said Liverpool would never win the league with him.

“He criticised me after and so did Jurgen Klopp. No problem. I look back now and think I criticised the lad too much for his age, his position.

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“I actually think I was right. They signed Alisson and Van Dijk and won it. But that doesn’t mean I should have done it.

“I think Gary Neville as a decent human being and professional -- knowing how difficult it is to play for United and Liverpool -- went too far.

PA

“Even when [Luis] Suarez bit [Branislav] Ivanovic and some pundits said that was the end of him in England, I defended him on Monday Night Football. I have been in dressing room where players have done things. Not bites, but stuff.

“I want to finish my career with integrity and I will not call for players or managers to be kicked out of clubs, not on performances anyway.”

Karius was dropped as Liverpool No 1 with the Reds’ £66.8m acquisition of Alisson in 2018 from Roma.

The former Mainz ‘keeper has since been loaned out to Turkish side Besiktas and Bundesliga club Union Berlin.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Gary Neville, Loris Karius, Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool, Premier League, England, Football