Red Nev hails City as ‘exceptional’

CITY’S ‘exceptional’ season is impressing – and disappointing – Gary Neville in equal measure.

And the Blues’ dominance is bringing back bad memories for the former United man of when he thought his team might never win the Premier League again.

Neville has assessed City’s Christmas and New Year period in his role as a Sky Sports analyst.

And he admits it is making him suffer as a Red. “Exceptional,” he said when describing City’s performances in opening up a 15-point lead at the top of the table.

“They nearly lost their unbeaten record at Crystal Palace. You’re going to have moments like that – those scrapes, near-misses – but they’ve been exceptional.

“The football’s wonderful, they’re just the best in every single department.

“To be at the top at Christmas by that many points but to do it in the style they have – I questioned it, I said it had never been done before in terms of winning the Premier League in that kind of style.

“You look at Chelsea’s team or United, which has power through the spine – that has ordinarily won the Premier League.

“This season City do have some power through the spine but not what you would call the natural way. They’re doing it in a wonderful way – the Pep Guardiola way – and it looks like the league is gone already.”