Gary Neville gives damning verdict on Manchester United's Champions League exit

Gary Neville was not surprised by Manchester United's Champions League defeat to Atletico Madrid as it was so predictable.

A Renan Lodi five minutes from the end of the first half was enough to secure a narrow victory for Diego Simeone's side at Old Trafford. United had chances, namely through Anthony Elanga and Bruno Fernandes, but it was not enough as the Reds crashed out.

Giving his verdict on the defeat for Sky Sports, Neville was not shocked by the loss. He explained: "The only benefit of Manchester United going out last night, if there is one at all, is that they are now 100 per cent focused on the league and getting into the Champions League is their priority.

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"Their best chance of getting into the Champions League and finishing in the top four is probably being out of the Champions League so they can focus everything on it. However, I'm not sure what that will have done for their confidence because it was a miserable night.

"I was in the stadium. I walked down to the pitch at the end of the game and I got a closer view of the disappointment and the dejection than I ordinarily would do up on the gantry.

"They were absolutely brassed off. They were disappointed, dejected, upset.

"They wilted in that second half. There was no plan.

"The game just fizzled out. There was no real big finish that you would expect when you're 1-0 down."

"It was a real bad moment but not surprising," the former United full-back added. "I was negative after the game against Spurs on Saturday Night Football when they won 3-2 because I thought that performance against Spurs would get them beat against Atletico Madrid and it did.

"