Gary Neville has issued a firm defence of Mason Greenwood and taken aim at the reports about the youngster inhaling laughing gas.
Greenwood has been forced to apologise for his "poor judgement" after footage emerged of the Manchester United forward apparently inhaling laughing gas.
The 18-year-old appeared to breathe in nitrous oxide from a balloon in a video reportedly filmed a number of weeks ago.
The footage emerged in a national newspaper this weekend and is the second time in a week Greenwood has been the source of controversy.
Greenwood was sent home from England duty last week after breaching Covid-19 guidelines, an incident for which he also had to apologise for his actions.
But when asked about the incident on Sky Sports about of Tottenham vs Everton, Neville took aim at the reporters claiming they are a “step too far”.
“I feel a little uncomfortable. I think last week completely accepted that it was a big story with England, whilst he’s in the England hotel, it is in the public interest,” the former United defender said.
"But at what point do we feel uncomfortable with things where you feel like someone is being victimised.
“I feel like this morning's story off the back of last week, he's a young boy, it takes it into a place where I begin to get a little discomfort.
“If you remember a couple of years ago when Raheem Sterling had to speak out about he felt he was being victimised by certain sections of the media.
“I am getting to that place now where what's that going to do this morning to help that boy? It is not going to help anybody.
“It is not in the public interest. People may think it is, free press. We agree with it, but we know ultimately that these stories can have significant damage on people.
“For me I feel a little bit uncomfortable with that one this morning.”
Neville continued: “The club will rally around him, his team-mates will rally around him and the supporters... well if there were 70,000 fans in a stadium today they would be signing his name nonstop.
“Because to be fair, that is what every club's supporters do with their players, especially one of their own. Which obviously Mason Greenwood is.
“I love him as a player and we know full well as young lads up and down this country whether they are football players or learning about law, or learning about accountancy, or a plumber or electrician, they make mistakes.
“They do things that they shouldn't do. But to have it scrutinised to a level beyond what I believe is helpful is what happened, I believe, this morning.
“Last week I got it. We have coronavirus issues and he needs to take his clip around the ear for that, but this one was a step too far for me!”
