Liverpool reportedly considered taking action against Sky Sports over a comment made by Gary Neville.
Back in July, Sky were forced to issue an apology to Nottingham Forest after Neville described the club’s statement as “like a mafia-gang” on air for Super Sunday on 21 April after a 2-0 defeat to Everton.
In a statement, Sky said they “have discussed with Gary the language used and its potential to cause offence” and added that “Gary has agreed not to use the same or similar terms in future coverage”.
But more recently Neville nearly found himself in hot water once again, with Liverpool the unhappy party this time.
A recent article from The Telegraph looks at Liverpool’s process in replacing Jurgen Klopp and notes that there was only ever an “initial polite enquiry” between Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes and Xabi Alonso‘s agent Inaki Ibanez regarding the former Reds midfielder coming back.
Arne Slot was the only individual offered the Liverpool job and the Dutchman promptly signed a contract until June 2027.
However, on Sky, Neville claimed that Slot was actually “third choice” behind Alonso and Ruben Amorim, who will become the new Manchester United boss on November 11.
With the statement untrue, it’s said that Liverpool “briefly contemplated demanding a public retraction”.
Image: Getty
Slot has been a breath of fresh air at Anfield, with Liverpool currently top of the Premier League by two points after ten games.
The 46-year-old will come up against Alonso and Leverkusen in the Champions League on Tuesday night at Anfield and Slot has called for his side to be at their very best.
“Xabi was a top-class player and he is proving himself to be of the same level as a manager,” he wrote in his programme notes.
“I would like to welcome him back to Anfield and I know that in doing so I will be in tune with the feelings of everyone who is inside the stadium tonight. In doing this, though, we are all aware that there will be no sentimentality from him and this means that there cannot be any from us.
“The maximum respect we can give any former player is to be the best Liverpool that we can possibly be, with no quarter asked and no quarter given.”
SPORTbible has contacted Gary Neville’s representatives for comment.
Featured Image Credit: Getty & Sky Sports
Topics: Liverpool, Arne Slot, Gary Neville