Manchester United’s record goalscorer Wayne Rooney will face former United teammate Phil Neville when his DC United side take on Inter Miami later tonight in a crucial clash.
In what Neville has described as a “strange” situation that will see him take on his former United team-mate, if he loses the affair he is likely to be sacked.
Neville has failed to get any consistency out of Inter Miami, and if he suffers another loss, the David Beckham-led club is likely to pull the trigger.
The Inter Miami boss is under increasing pressure to ensure his team’s play-off hopes stay alive. His contract also expires at the end of the current season.
He praised Rooney, who will be on the opposition bench, as an incredible leader always destined for elite management.
The 45-year-old told The Sun: “He loves football, you see players who love football, that football is their life, that they have an obsession with football. Wayne was that person.”
On his former teammate’s journey to where he is today in management, Neville commented: “I think what’s impressive about his management is that he’s put up the hard yards, he’s done all these badges.”
“He has not taken the easy road. Look at the job he had in Derby. That was very, very difficult, but it would have been an amazing learning experience that he will put to good use at DC.”
“It will be strange to face him, because we were teammates for so long and good teammates too.”
Neville, admitting his precarious situation before the tense match, emphasized that there was a long-term plan and called for a level of trust.
“I know I’m in a results business, in terms of performances, results, points, playoff qualification. I trust the players we brought in, I trust the process and our own abilities to deliver.”
The game is one for United fans to watch out for as the two legends go head-to-head in the high-stakes affair.
