Gary Neville amazed by what he saw for first time ever in Everton director’s box live in ‘ferocious’ start vs Manchester United
Gary Neville admitted he had never seen a protest banner being held up in the director’s box at a game as he reacted to the “ferocious” Everton protests to start the game against Manchester United.
The Sky Sports pundit responded live on the broadcaster’s match coverage on 26 November as deafening boos from the fans rained down from the stands and “corrupt” Premier League signs were held up around the ground.
In the first Toffees action since the club were deducted 10 points for a profit and sustainability breach the supporters and the club were united in loud defiance at Goodison Park, despite Alejandro Garnacho’s stunning overhead kick in the third minute briefly “bursting the balloon”, in a first for Neville.
He reacted to the early scenes at Goodison to say (4.41pm): “It’s the first time I’ve seen banners held up in the director’s box.”
He soon added about the loud contributions from the stands: “It was supposed to spur Everton on to a ferocious start but that goal has just burst the balloon.”
The Toffees rallied from the early set back but couldn’t make it pay as the supporters continued to roar them on, but the fight gradually went out of the protests and the performance after Ashley Young conceded a penalty after the break on the way to a 3-0 loss.
Reaction
It hasn’t been often that the Evertonians have been united with the club’s hierarchy in recent years, but the Premier League look like they’ve managed to achieve that.
The supporters certainly did their bit ahead of and after the first whistle as the decibel levels were raised hugely in an attempt to spur the players on, as they returned to the pitch for the first time since the sanction was announced over the international break.
Garnacho’s strike within minutes of kick off was the last thing Sean Dyche would have wanted as his side looked to harness the huge support from the fans, but was of such quality he could barely be legislated for and only set his side back briefly.
There was a slight lull as a result but the fans and the players soon responded once more as they reversed the momentum and laid siege to Andre Onana’s goal, going close numerous times and having a chance cleared off the line.
The strength of feeling around Everton was in clear evidence in their first game back and it is a measure of the sense of injustice that Neville saw a protest spread to the director’s box for the first time in his own career.
It will certainly continue long after this game despite the final score, with an appeal still set to be heard and claims for compensation expected from rivals.
In other Everton news, Jim White and Simon Jordan were both stunned by a discovery about the Premier League commission.