Although it was weekend delight for Arsenal as they triumphed over Leeds United, it was a horror show for Manchester United as they lost 2-0 to Newcastle United.
And now, Arsenal fans have rubbed salt in the wounds by pointing out how Gary Neville was in pain when he called them a top team.
It is hard to call Mikel Arteta’s squad anything else at the moment, with their 4-1 victory against Leeds cementing their status as the Premier League leaders.
And it was a former Arsenal man who opened the scoring for Newcastle against United, as Joe Willock headed in the first goal on Sunday.
Neville says Ten Hag is doing his best with the current crop
The result means that the Red Devils slip even further behind Arsenal, while Newcastle overtake them in the league table.
And after the game, Neville described how his former side needed further investment to reach the top of the league.
Neville, speaking on his Sky Sports podcast after the game, hopes the loss will be a reminder to United’s current owners that they need to leave the club, and leave it in a way so that the incoming owners can invest properly.
He points out that a lack of investment in January and settling for short loans like Marcel Sabitzer and Wout Weghorst is why Ten Hag’s side are struggling to reach the top.
“I’ve got no complaints about what they’re doing, they’re doing their very best,” the former captain said.
“I never have a go at a football player who’s working their absolute socks off, and Weghorst and Sabitzer are doing that out on the pitch.
“But Manchester United needed more than that in the January transfer window.
“They lost Cristiano Ronaldo, a goal scorer. Martial’s been injured for far too long, Rashford’s now settled on the left-hand side.
“Erik ten Hag is getting the absolute maximum out of this squad and more.”
Neville hesitates when saying Arsenal are a top team
The former right-back goes on to say how it has been an excellent season for United, who won the Carabao Cup against yesterday’s opponents, while they are also in an FA Cup semi-final and remain inside the top four.
“If you said that to me six months ago I’d have snapped your hand off,” he continues.
“A lot of the players that are here are the same players who were here last season who played under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Ragnick and they struggled.”
Neville proceeds to say it’s not about the current squad but points out that improvements need to be made.
“They have shown a weakness away from home,” he adds. “But that’s because of who they are.
“We have to accept that’s what they are, they’re weak away from home against the top clubs because they’re not good enough to play at the big grounds away from home.”
He name checks Liverpool and Manchester City, before pausing and then finally saying, “Arsenal” as well.
The way he shuts his eyes and looks to summon the courage to even bring up the north London club definitely makes it seem like he did not want to include them.
Watch: Pain in Neville’s voice as he calls Arsenal a top club
The hesitation, the closed eyes – nothing has escaped the attention of Arsenal fans, who have torn into Neville for the clip.
He might not like it, but the Premier League table does not lie, and the Gunners are currently 22 points clear of Neville’s former side.
United will hope to close that gap on Wednesday 5 April when they host Brentford, while Arsenal return to action against Liverpool on Sunday.
