Allardyce in war of words with Neville

SAM Allardyce has hit out at Gary Neville after the former United defender dismissed his criticism of Unai Emery’s tactics.

Allardyce was critical of new Arsenal boss Emery for the expansive style he attempted to employ in the Gunners’ opening-day Premier League defeat by City earlier this month.

Neville responded on Sky Sports this week, saying: “Unai Emery’s not trying to get eight points from five games to avoid relegation, he’s trying to build a team and with a style to win the title, not lump it long and get in behind.”

Neville’s response hasn’t gone down well with Allardyce, who told talkSPORT that the 43-year-old ‘thinks he’s an expert’ and ‘thinks he’s always right’.

“Why he quite had a dig, I’m not that sure, but of course Gary is very open in his own opinion,” Allardyce said.

“Let me say this: I’ve managed seven Premier League clubs and over 1,000 games – do you think I’m entitled to my opinion? I think so.

“So like I said, Gary is Gary, and in the end he thinks he’s always right, that’s probably the reason why he said it. But at the end of the day, people ask me for my opinion and I say what I see, I always give my honest opinion.”

Allardyce continued: “He talks about me having to win five games to save a club from relegation, I never got five or six weeks [like Emery at Arsenal]. If I don’t get a result in five weeks, the club I take over is relegated – so I have to do it in days. I have to work out the players immediately and convince all of them we have to turn results around immediately.”