Stubborn Neville wrong on Conte

ON the day Antonio Conte took over Tottenham they were ninth in the table, Manchester United were fifth. Only two points separated them, but 11 goals. United had a goal difference of plus four, Tottenham of minus seven. Now, Tottenham sit fifth, Manchester United sixth. Tottenham are four points clear, meaning Manchester United cannot overtake them, having only one game to play. Tottenham’s goal difference is plus 20, United’s plus one, representing a 30-goal turnaround. And on Saturday, Tottenham got a 1-1 draw at Anfield, where Liverpool recently beat Manchester United 4-0. So it was bizarre timing indeed for Gary Neville to say that Tottenham’s hard-fought point proved why Conte wasn’t right for United. So he didn’t go toe to toe with Liverpool? So what? Neither did United — except from the first minute it was obvious they were going to lose, whereas Tottenham were well set-out by Conte and knew what they were doing. Neville was against Conte’s appointment at Old Trafford from the start and is stubbornly

sticking to his argument. The numbers offer scant support. Makes one wonder what else Neville might be wrong about.