Phil Neville: I owe Peter Schmeichel everything | OneFootball

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Dan Burke·12 November 2017

Phil Neville: I owe Peter Schmeichel everything

Article image:Phil Neville: I owe Peter Schmeichel everything

Phil Neville says he owes everything he achieved as a Manchester United player to one save in particular made by goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel.

Neville came through the ranks at Old Trafford and won six Premier League titles, three FA Cups and the Champions League before leaving to join Everton in 2005.


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But the former versatile defensive player believes most of it might not have been possible were it not for Schmeichel’s penalty save against Arsenal in the 1999 FA Cup semi-final.

Article image:Phil Neville: I owe Peter Schmeichel everything

A goal-less draw between the two great rivals saw the tie go to a replay at Villa Park and in the last minute of normal time with the score level at 1-1, Neville gave away a penalty.

But there was to be a twist to the tale as Schmeichel denied Dennis Bergkamp from the spot, Ryan Giggs scored a sensational solo winner in extra time and the Red Devils went on to lift the cup as part of a remarkable treble of trophies.

“I honestly thought my Manchester United career was over,” Neville told United’s official website.

“It was the last minute, I was tired, I’d played really well in the game as well, and I literally just collapsed on the floor and brought down Ray Parlour.

“I just thought ‘that’s it – it’s been a good career’, and then he saved it. I owe him everything.”

Neville – along with his brother Gary and the likes of Giggs, David Beckham, Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt – was part of United’s fabled ‘Class of ’92’ and says his senior debut in 1995 came as something of a surprise.

Article image:Phil Neville: I owe Peter Schmeichel everything

“I thought I was just turning up to help the kit man to be honest with you!,” he said.

“But even once you’re a regular in the first team, you don’t really realise it. You were always trying to better yourself and improve because this club was always buying good players.

“In my position we had two or three really good, international quality players, and every summer the boss would look to bring more players in, which kept us all on our toes.”

Now a television pundit for the likes of Sky Sports and BBC’s Match of the Day, the 40-year-old says he often finds it difficult to be impartial when it comes to the club for whom he made 367 appearances.

Article image:Phil Neville: I owe Peter Schmeichel everything

“For me, it’s not nice being a pundit on United, because you dread United losing even more than I already would do, because you’ve got to go on the television and speak as a neutral about a team that you don’t want to criticise,” he said.

“Like recently, when United got beaten by Huddersfield, Jose [Mourinho] questioned the desire and attitude of the players, and you’ve got to discuss that, and probably criticise some of the team.

“So I always try to stay clear of Manchester United games as a pundit – you feel as if you can’t be a neutral because ultimately I love this football club. I don’t enjoy watching United as a pundit because it puts me in a position where I potentially have to talk badly about a player in my team.”