Gary Neville has admitted that he felt a bit sorry for Donny van de Beek after the summer signing was sacrificed at half-time of Manchester United’s 3-1 win against West Ham on Saturday.
The Netherlands international started in the Manchester United midfield alongside Scott McTominay and Paul Pogba for the trip to West Ham as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer opted to rest Bruno Fernandes ahead of their next two games.
However, West Ham broke the deadlock in the 38th minute thanks to Tomas Soucek before Solskjaer brought on Fernandes for Van de Beek at half-time despite Manchester United’s upcoming games against RB Leipzig and Manchester City.
The Portuguese playmaker, alongside fellow substitute Juan Mata, inspired Manchester United to a comeback after goals from Pogba, Mason Greenwood and Marcus Rashford in the second half at the London Stadium.
Sky Sports pundit Neville felt that Van de Beek was treated a little harshly considering McTominay and Pogba could easily have been hauled off at half-time of their 3-1 victory over West Ham.
“He would’ve gone to Bruno and said ‘I’m going to leave you for Leipzig, I’m going to leave you for the Manchester derby’ but he would’ve said at half-time ‘I’m sorry I need you we’re not very good without you’,” Neville told Sky Sports.
“And that’s just a fact, without him they’re just not the same team.
“I feel a bit sorry for Van de Beek. He’s the one who has been sacrificed out of midfield but it could have been any of them, all three of them in the first half were awful.”
Van de Beek moved to Manchester United in a £40m deal from Dutch side Ajax in the 2020 summer transfer window.
The Netherlands international has found his first-team opportunities limited since his arrival at the Old Trafford outfit.
Van de Beek has started five games and has made eight substitute appearances in the Premier League and the Champions League this term.
Manchester United will make the trip to RB Leipzig in the Champions League on Tuesday night before Solskjaer’s side host Manchester City next Saturday.
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