Jamie Carragher has revealed he ‘hated’ Gary Neville when the Sky Sports pundits were still playing for Liverpool and Manchester United.
The two enjoyed a fierce rivalry and frequently clashed when their sides met in the Premier League, before Neville retired in 2011.
Neville, England’s most-capped right-back, regularly found ways to wind up Liverpool fans, including running the length of the pitch to celebrate United’s last minute winner in front of Reds supporters in 2006.
And now Carragher has admitted how much he disliked his fellow pundit during their playing careers, while branding his antics as an attempt to be liked by United fans.
“I hated him a little bit. Can you hate someone a little bit? You just hate them, I suppose!” he told Sky’s Super 6 Podcast.
“There was a big rivalry between the clubs but he's kissed his badge and said things about people from Liverpool.
“He was just basically playing up to the fanzines and trying to get in with the Manchester United fans.
“He is a right-back, nobody is really interested in right-backs. That was his way of trying to be popular with Man Utd fans and getting a song.”
Neville joined Sky Sports as their lead Monday Night Football pundit upon his retirement and immediately developed a reputation as one of the best in the profession.
He was joined two years later by Carragher, with their rivalry returning on-screen. But Carragher has revealed that Neville now regrets his antics from his playing days.
“He then went on Sky TV and it all came back to haunt him,” Carragher said.
“He had to play 'Mr Liverpool', and support Liverpool and different things, to try and get them on side.
"You know what? He did get them on side, because the amount of times I am stopped in the street now and people are saying, 'Gary Neville is sound isn't he, he's a great pundit' and all of this.”
