Gary Neville: I was verbally attacked outside Anfield following Liverpool’s title triumph

Liverpool were crowned Premier League champions, and while their fans relished the celebrations on Sunday, it was a painful experience for Manchester United supporters—Gary Neville included.

As part of the Sky Sports commentary team, the 50-year-old was forced to watch on as Liverpool clinched their 20th league title, equaling United’s long-standing record.

Footage later surfaced of Neville making a quick exit from Anfield, and he has since revealed what unfolded.

Speaking on the It’s Called Soccer podcast, Neville explained:
“Normally, I stick around to do a podcast after matches, but midway through this one, I decided to leave—it was getting a bit intense up on the gantry.

“I grabbed my backpack right as the final whistle blew. Peter Drury usually cues me in, but we had already agreed I wouldn’t need to speak. So, with a security guard by my side, I made a quick escape, heading straight to the concourse and managing to beat the crowd out.

“What I didn’t expect was the chaos outside—I got absolutely hammered with abuse and eventually lost my cool.

“There were loads of fans out there, all in high spirits after the title win, and when they saw me, they let me have it.

“Even later, on the M60 heading home, I reached a breaking point. I’ve never been a violent person, but if I could have pulled over… let’s just say it was a rough ride home.”

Neville described the experience as “a bit old school.” While the exact nature of the abuse isn’t clear, it likely mirrored the same energy he brought nearly two decades ago when celebrating in front of Liverpool fans himself.

Physical threats or serious verbal abuse have no place in football, but as Neville himself once said—after admitting to calling a Liverpool fan a “fat little tw*t”—this kind of back-and-forth is part of the fierce rivalry.

Known for his lack of praise for Liverpool supporters, Neville had recently admitted he was hoping Crystal Palace would stop Arsenal from clinching the title at home—so watching Liverpool lift the trophy must’ve been especially difficult.

While we don’t know exactly what was said outside Anfield, it’s safe to say Neville might have dished out the same, had the roles been reversed.