Former United and England great Gary Neville gives valuable and visible gravitas to Sky

Sky are rather proud of their Isleworth broadcasting building, the most sustainable of its kind in Europe, apparently.

Opinions differ on exactly how much energy is saved and recycled but the wind turbine overhead is working double time to dispel the notion the corporation has specialised in blowing out hot air over the last two decades.

Inside, a recent recruit to their sports coverage has brought a more valuable and visible gravitas. When former Manchester United and England full-back Gary Neville was called up to the squad in 2012, it was difficult not to envisage the man ABUs regarded as public enemy number one, as anything more than a scruffy, dog-eared Grange Hill extra when suited up.

That notion has long since passed and, some embarrassing exhalations during commentary aside, he has graduated to prefect, top of the class, for many, in the punditry pool thanks to insightful analysis at the end of busy footballing weekends. Such has been his success, Sky have seemingly gone for Neville Mark II, in signing up Jamie Carragher.

Having replaced Andy Gray, the poster boy of old boys, Neville knows a thing or two about emerging from a sizeable shadow to carve his own path. His journey, however, was and is nothing like that which faces David Moyes. Neville's integration came after Gray's loose lips met him with a stark new reality, the new United manager is replacing the revered statesman of the game in Alex Ferguson, and his ethereal presence remains palpable.

Outside Old Trafford, at least, this could get ugly if Moyes doesn’t placate the masses.

"I do think looking at the title odds, they're third favourites, there is a pressure that's being applied," says Neville when asked if a bloodthirsty media is lying in wait. "You knew that was going to happen. You're never going to follow Sir Alex Ferguson without that level of pressure put on you.

'Public move'
"I think the fact that he is looking to sign players, obviously it's been a very public move for (Barcelona's Cesc) Fabregas, it will or won't happen in the next few weeks. I think it will certainly help David Moyes to get his hands on a Fabregas-type character because it will give everybody a lift."

Neville is sure the champions’ hierarchy will remain calm come what may. “It’s not been a club that’s ever worked in the immediate, it’s always worked on a plan, the fact is they’ll look at things objectively. It wouldn’t surprise me if they didn’t sign anybody. They won’t spend money in a desperate manner.”

Moyes will be snubbed, says Neville, more than once, but that happens to the best of them. It will undoubtedly lead to more unfavourable comparisons between the two Scots but such revisionism would be inaccurate and “unfair”.

“I mean Sir Alex Ferguson, when I think about the players Manchester United have missed out on over the years; Arjen Robben, Alan Shearer, (Zinedine) Zidane, there’s more. United didn’t always have their own way in the transfer market.

“There probably are more that we didn’t even know about. So, no, I wouldn’t say it is a reflection (on Moyes), that’s maybe the conclusion that people who want to get to that conclusion will get to, but I would point to the fact that United have not always got the player they wanted to get.”

Neville played over 600 times for United and knows a thing or two about the club’s penchant for longevity. He therefore describes suggestions that Moyes might see the exit before the Christmas lights go up as “nonsense”.

"Oh, he definitely will get time and patience, I'd be amazed if he didn't. I'd be stunned. It would be a departure completely. Forget Sir Alex Ferguson, you can go back to Ron Atkinson, you can go back to the managers before, they've all been given time.

'Complete departure'
"A good few years, historically Manchester United have given their managers time, so it would be a complete departure to start reacting after six months or three results. Well, that's not the way in which the club has ever worked."

All this talk of suitable replacements brings up the inevitable question of the void Neville left behind him on the right-side of United’s defence. Rafael da Silva has progressed but, as yet, he brings nothing like the authority, or delivery, of his predecessor.

He may do, but Moyes once said Ireland’s Séamus Coleman could make the grade at a top four club and, as the question is ventured, Neville grins, before gently and tactfully deflating any misplaced Irish optimism.

“I was damn impressed with him for Ireland against England. He had a fantastic game that night at Wembley, unfortunately. I think he’s a good kid, I speak to my brother a lot obviously and he covered Phil for two or three years at Everton, sat in front of him, so I mean Phil’s got a lot of time for him.

“He’s an honest kid, an attacking full-back, similar to Baines on the other side in that they both like to run forward. Probably at this moment he’s obviously behind Leighton Baines in terms of quality of delivery in the last third, but yeah, I think he does offer an opportunity,” he adds before citing Everton’s John Stones as a danger to the Irishman.