Gary Lineker calls Man Utd a 'small club' in front of Rio Ferdinand and Robin van Persie

Posted Thursday, October 24, 2019 by Express.co.uk

Gary Lineker calls Man Utd a 'small club' in front of Rio Ferdinand and Robin van Persie
Gary Lineker jokingly labeled Man Utd a "small club" live on BT Sport (Image: BT SPORT)

Gary Lineker made the comment in reference to Manchester United’s 1-1 draw with Liverpool on Sunday.

Gary Lineker labelled Manchester United a “small club” live on BT Sport on Wednesday night.

The former England striker was presenting coverage of the Champions League clash between Genk and Liverpool.

Also in the studio were United legends Rio Ferdinand and Robin van Persie and former Liverpool forward Peter Crouch.

And, speaking to Van Persie, Lineker admitted he expected a comfortable night for Liverpool in Belgium.

“A few changes and you would expect that Genk, yes they produce lots of players Robin, but it will be tough for them against Liverpool,” he said.

“They’ve never won a Champions League game in 14 previous attempts.”

Van Persie agreed but said he thought Liverpool would win against his former side United on Sunday, but for them to lose their 100 per cent start to the Premier League season in a 1-1 draw.

“Yeah normally it would be an easy game for Liverpool but you never know,” Van Persie replied.

“I was actually thinking that as well before the weekend’s game, Manchester United v Liverpool, that Liverpool would do better but Manchester United produced a very good game, so you never know.

“So that is what makes football beautiful you know.”

And Lineker jokingly replied: “Yeah, indeed. Small clubs like Manchester United occasionally outperform themselves.”

Some pundits criticised Liverpool following the draw at Old Trafford but Ferdinand says there is nothing to worry about for the Reds.

“I think people are getting a bit over-critical of them in the last couple of games that they’ve had,” he said.

“[They’re] not functioning or firing on all cylinders, the draw at Old Trafford Man United probably took more of the credit, but listen I’m sure within the Liverpool camp they would have said before the game ‘getting a draw, we’ll take that, with no Salah in the team’.

“So I don’t think they’ll be panicking behind the scenes at Liverpool at all.”