“It’s a real problem”: Gary Neville names two United stars who worry him after Villa win

Manchester United’s centre-back situation is causing concern behind the scenes, with Gary Neville highlighting what he sees as a serious issue for the club moving forward. Gary Neville has pointed to the lack of availability of Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez as a major problem for United. The former defender’s concern appears to be less about quality and more about whether the club can rely on its strongest options often enough across a demanding campaign. United’s best centre-backs are still a liability Speaking on his Sky Sports podcast, the 51-year-old did not dress the issue up, remarking that: “It might then be the summer after [this one] when they finally get round to new centre-backs because they have got a problem.” Furthermore, the ex-United captain then made his point even more clearly, observing that: “The problem at centre-back actually is that at the moment, De Ligt and Martinez, arguably with Maguire, their two best centre-backs, they can’t get on the pitch. It’s a real problem.” This is a striking assessment from someone who knows exactly what stability in the middle of defence should look like at Old Trafford. Neville’s inclusion of Harry Maguire, who is nearing the end of his contract at United, in the conversation also underlines the wider issue, with the position quickly beginning to look light whenever injuries bite. Recurring absences could force United into the market again This matters for the Red Devils because centre-back is one of the positions where continuity tends to shape the whole team. A settled pairing helps with organisation, communication and control, but this becomes much harder when key defenders are repeatedly unavailable. As a result, Neville’s warning lands as a broader concern about squad planning as much as current form. If the Northwest club are to move forward, INEOS may need to decide whether it can continue building around players whose fitness records keep disrupting this process. For all the discussion around recruitment in midfield, the centre-back situation remains a genuine issue that could keep holding United back. Featured image Alex Livesey via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Okari Wambunya Okari Wambunya is a football writer at The Peoples Person, covering Manchester United with fast, accurate, and source-led news, analysis, opinions, team developments, injuries, press conferences, and matchday reactions. A former secondary school teacher, he now coaches college football (not soccer) and continues to support young people through academic mentoring and youth work. He holds a BA (Hons) in English from Brunel University London and an MA in Education from King’s College London, with experience across digital journalism and broadcast sports media. Okari first praised Michael Carrick in a blog post he wrote at 16-years-old in 2014; over a decade later, United appointing Carrick as interim head coach feels like a full-circle moment.