Allardyce hits back in feud with Gary Neville

Sam Allardyce has hit back at Gary Neville after the former Manchester United defender poured scorn on his criticism of Unai Emery’s tactics.

Allardyce wasn’t impressed with new Arsenal boss Emery for the expansive style he tried to implement in the Gunners’ opening-day Premier League defeat by Manchester City earlier this month report the MEN.

Neville’s response on Sky Sports this week was “Unai Emery’s not trying to get eight points from five games to avoid relegation, he’s trying to build a team and with a style to win the title, not lump it long and get in behind.”

Neville’s response hasn’t gone down well with Allardyce, who told talkSPORT that the 43-year-old ‘thinks he’s an expert’ and ‘thinks he’s always right’.

“Why he quite had a dig, I’m not that sure, but of course Gary is very open in his own opinion,” Allardyce said.

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“Let me say this: I’ve managed seven Premier League clubs and over 1000 games – do you think I’m entitled to my opinion? I think so.

“So like I said, Gary is Gary, and in the end he thinks he’s always right, that’s probably the reason why he said it.

“But at the end of the day, people ask me for my opinion and I say what I see, I always give my honest opinion.”

Allardyce continued: “He talks about me having to win five games to save a club from relegation, I never got five or six weeks (like Emery at Arsenal). If I don’t get a result in five weeks, the club I take over is relegated – so I have to do it in days.

“I have to work out the players immediately and convince all of them we have to turn results around immediately.

“So he’s not right in what he said, but Gary is Gary – he’s got his opinion and I’ve got mine.”