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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Joe Rimmer

Phil Neville on moment 'disrespectful' Manchester United player left him raging during Everton draw

Former Everton Phil Neville has lifted the lid on the moment a Manchester United player left him as 'angry as he'd ever been on a football pitch'.

Speaking on Gary Neville's Soccerbox, the younger Neville was talking about his return to Old Trafford in a pulsating 4-4 draw with United towards the end of the 2011/12 season.

Everton battled back from 3-1 and 4-2 down to secure a point that would end up costing Neville's old side the Premier League title.

But when United scored their third goal of the afternoon a member of the home team suggested Everton should give up - and left Neville raging.

He said: "After this goal, after they celebrating and going back, one of the Manchester United players said to me, he said 'tell your team to calm down now, will you?'

"I don't think I've ever been as angry on a football pitch.

"To win a league title, you don't start saying things like that and that's what made me angry. It shouldn't be handed on a plate to you. I thought it was a bit disrespectful."

Neville admitted he left Old Trafford quickly after the match, despite labelling it his best ever performance in an Everton shirt.

Goals from Marouane Fellaini, Steven Pienaar and a double from Nikica Jelavic secured a memorable point for the Toffees but Neville didn't want to be seen to "gloat" against his former side.

He said: "We had (Darron) Gibson ex-Man United, me ex-Man United, Tim Howard ex-Man United. There was big motivation going back to Old "Trafford and playing against a team you love.

"It was awful after the game because I thought it was my best ever performance, especially in an Everton shirt, and normally when you play at Old Trafford you come off after the game and see all your friends and family, but it was just get in the shower and get away, you can't be seen to be gloating.

"I knew that could have cost United the league. I remember phoning mum and dad after the game and saying that's United not going to win the league. They're just not. It's cost them. I didn't want to hang around the place gloating."

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