'Madrid fans will be watching!': Gary Neville mocks Sam Allardyce before Man City clash

Leeds manager Sam Allardyce looks on during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Leeds United at the Etihad Stadium on May 6, 2023 in Manchester, England.
(Image credit: Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)

Gary Neville joked that Real Madrid supporters would be tuning in to watch Sam Allardyce face Manchester City in his first game as Leeds boss.

Real host City in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie on Tuesday, with Pep Guardiola's Premier League leaders and FA Cup finalists still on course to complete a treble.

After edging past Leeds 2-1 – despite having 18 shots to the visitors' four – thanks to captain Ilkay Gundogan's brace at the Etihad Stadium, City remain in the driving seat to win their third successive title.

Before the match, though, Neville couldn't resist subjecting Allardyce to some light ribbing – after the veteran manager, parachuted in after Leeds sacked Javi Gracia earlier this week, claimed he was as good a tactician as Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp.

Tweeting prior to kick-off, Neville wrote: "Madrid fans will be watching today before CL [Champions League] for the tactical masterclass of Big Sam!! The man to finally uncover a weakness in Pep?"

Alas, it wasn't to be for Allardyce - who has just three games left to save Leeds from relegation.

The Whites' fifth defeat in six outings leaves them 17th and only outside the drop zone on goal difference; they host Newcastle next Saturday lunchtime.

City, meanwhile, have four fixtures left as they look to claim their seventh Premier League crown – beginning with a trip to Everton a week on Sunday.

Tom Hancock

Tom Hancock started freelancing for FourFourTwo in April 2019 and has also written for the Premier League and Opta Analyst, among others. He supports Wycombe Wanderers and has a soft spot for Wealdstone. A self-confessed statto, he has been known to watch football with a spreadsheet (or several) open...