Gary Neville was left worried when he saw Jonny Evans in the starting XI (Picture: Getty)
Gary Neville admits he was left worried when he saw Jonny Evans start for Manchester United against Burnley and thought the match could have ‘finished’ him.
The 35-year-old centre-back was handed a one-year deal this summer after initially returning to the club on a trial basis.
Erik ten Hag threw Evans into the starting XI for the 1-0 win over Burnley on Saturday, who had a goal disallowed before providing the assist for Bruno Fernandes’ winner.
‘I’m going to speak openly about this,’ Neville said on his podcast. ‘When I saw Jonny Evans in the team… he’s been a fantastic defender for Man United and Man City wanted him three or four years ago, and Pep Guardiola doesn’t pick mugs…
‘But I thought, ‘Oh, Jonny’ [and] at the end of my career at Man Utd, I had a couple of games where people went past me and I was isolated.
‘I thought it was a game which could have finished Jonny, if those Burnley forwards got at him.
‘But I was delighted with how the game went for him. He set up the lovely little pass to Bruno Fernandes.
More: Trending
‘I was happy for him, because I had fear about how it was going to go.’
Evans was released by Leicester City at the end of last season following their shock relegation from the Premier League.
He came through United’s academy and made 198 appearances for the club between 2006 and 2015 before moving to West Brom and then Leicester, where he spent the last five years before making his return as a Red Devil.
MORE : Manchester United release statement after Marcus Rashford car crash
MORE : Tim Sherwood warns Erik ten Hag he can’t drop Man Utd star after Burnley display