‘Got to be stronger’ – Gary Neville blasts Man Utd star after Antoine Semenyo goal

Gary Neville singled out Luke Shaw for criticism after Antoine Semenyo found an equaliser for Bournemouth against Manchester United, insisting the defender had to be ‘stronger’ in the build-up.

The Red Devils started strongly at Old Trafford and were rewarded for their early efforts as Amad Diallo capitalised on a goalkeeping error from Djordje Petrovic to head home from close range.

But Bournemouth managed to regroup and scored against the run of play in the 40th minute – and it was that man Semenyo who got the goal for the Cherries, his seventh of the Premier League campaign.

United were guilty of gifting possession back to the visitors in the immediate build-up, though, with Shaw barged off the ball by Justin Kluivert following an untidy pass from Mason Mount on the touchline.

While Casemiro restored United’s advantage to spare his team-mates’ blushes on the stroke of half-time, the hosts’ lackadaisical defending was again a hot talking point for fans and pundits alike.

‘There’s an inquest going on at that far side, but he [Semenyo] is a special player,’ former Manchester United and England right-back Neville said on Sky Sports’ commentary when watching back Semenyo’s leveller.

‘Mason Mount just pops it back to Shaw and then Luke Shaw just gets barged out of the way. It’s a little bit of a shoulder to shoulder.

‘There’s a lot to do, an awful lot to do, and he just basically gets shoulder barged out of the way by Justin Kluivert.

‘He’s got to be stronger there, Shaw, and he just leaves his team-mates in a position whereby they’ve almost got to invite Semenyo to shoot because if you go out too early they will just play it across.

‘Can you beat the goalkeeper? Yes you can. It’s an absolutely wonderful finish, everything you’d want in teaching a young forward. He just side foots it but with such power.

‘For all their good work, Manchester United, they find themselves level in the game.’

More to follow.