{"id":4556,"date":"2026-09-14T07:16:40","date_gmt":"2026-09-14T07:16:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/footballars.xyz\/?p=4556"},"modified":"2026-09-14T07:16:40","modified_gmt":"2026-09-14T07:16:40","slug":"gary-neville-says-enzo-fernandez-has-one-big-weakness-despite-being-a-brilliant-player","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/footballars.xyz\/?p=4556","title":{"rendered":"Gary Neville says Enzo Fernandez has one big weakness despite being a ‘brilliant’ player"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Gary Neville has given a very balanced assessment of former Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez following his performance in Sunday\u2019s Manchester derby.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fernandez<\/a> joined Manchester City on deadline day for a mega \u00a3125m fee and helped his new side win 1-0 against Manchester United.<\/p>\n

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The midfielder was at the centre of City\u2019s controversial goal after interfering in play from an offside position.<\/p>\n

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It\u2019s time to talk about our midfield situation\u2026 who\u2019s getting your vote?<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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Erling Haaland\u2019s goal was given in the end, though, as City went on to claim all three points at Old Trafford.<\/p>\n

Fernandez had a good game, and Neville<\/a> has hailed the 25-year-old as an \u201coutstanding\u201d and \u201cbrilliant\u201d player. However, he does not think it is always easy to play alongside him, largely because of a lack of \u201cpositional discipline\u201d.<\/p>\n

Speaking on The Gary Neville Podcast<\/a> after the Manchester derby, the United legend said: \u201cI thought it was a massive test for Elliot Anderson, and I wanted to see him play alongside Enzo Fernandez because I think it\u2019s hard to play alongside Enzo Fernandez. I think he\u2019s also an outstanding player, by the way, but I think he\u2019s also difficult to read what he\u2019s going to do next.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s never quite where you want him, and I think, to be fair, Manchester City\u2019s players and coaches will know that. But he is a brilliant player. He influences the game, he\u2019s sort of got that big personality, he\u2019s got that determination, that ferocity about him, but he is sometimes lacking positional discipline in the sense that he\u2019s not quite where Elliot Anderson would want him in balancing off as a two.\u201d<\/p>\n

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With Fernandez and Anderson, City\u2019s midfield is starting to thrive again after losing Rodri. Despite City playing the majority of their game against United with 10 men, Fernandez and Anderson still managed to get on the ball often and used it well.<\/p>\n

In contrast, Chelsea\u2019s<\/a> midfield has virtually collapsed following Fernandez\u2019s exit. With the Argentine no longer at Stamford Bridge and Moises Caicedo out injured, Xabi Alonso<\/a> has had to use Reece James and Malo Gusto next to Romeo Lavia in midfield. It has not worked, especially the Gusto experiment<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Understandably, Fernandez was a talking point among Chelsea fans<\/a> after his performance at Old Trafford, with some questioning the club\u2019s decision to sell him.<\/p>\n

What makes matters even worse is the fact that Chelsea failed to bring in a replacement and are now having to use two right-backs in midfield. It is no wonder that some supporters are absolutely fuming.<\/p>\n

Fernandez may have a weakness or two, but Chelsea\u2019s loss is certainly proving to be City\u2019s gain. Chelsea will argue, though, that Fernandez\u2019s position in the squad simply became untenable in the end.<\/p>\n

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