For nearly a decade now, Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher have been widely regarded as the best pundit duo on television. Their insights into life at elite Premier League clubs and tactical awareness have been a hit with fans, as is their willingness to have a joke with each other on live television.
In the studio, they are rarely complained about but when they are on commentary, they are often accused of overstepping the impartiality line. For several seasons, Neville and Carragher have both been on co-commentary duty for matches between Man Utd and Liverpool and while the novelty was something different at first, it has perhaps gone on too long.
It's reached the point now where Sky Sports have a ‘commentator camera' whenever the teams meet so they can capture the visual reactions of both men whenever there is a goal. This has led to hundreds of fans taking to social media to express their concerns about the concept, particularly as Sky Sports is meant to be a neutral channel.
How @Carra23 and @GNev2 saw that blockbuster Man United vs Liverpool clash from the gantry 🍿🎬 pic.twitter.com/ybKBN0eZRF
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) April 7, 2024
Football fans go in on Neville and Carragher
Social media platform, X, has been flooded with complaints about Neville and Carragher during and after the match between Man Utd and Liverpool on Sunday. One person posted: “Let that be the end of the Neville–Carragher commentary combo in this fixture, it's intolerable and nobody wants it.”
Another said: “It’s very irresponsible of Sky Sports to keep having both Neville & Carragher as commentators or co-commentators in games involving both Liverpool and Man Utd as it’s obvious both can’t be objective or maintain a balanced view. Sky Sports should bring Fan Zone and stick them on it.”
A third posted: “Why do Sky feel the need to have Neville AND Carragher on commentary for these games? They're both absolutely dreadful.”
Some fans were on the other side of the fence, which will likely mean Sky Sports won't be changing the formula any time soon. One person posted: “You can’t hide the passion from Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher” while another said: “Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher’s reaction to THAT Kobbie Mainoo goal was incredible.”