Manchester United legend Gary Neville insists the club’s poor start to the season is as a result of lack of quality in the team rather than commitment following our embarrassing home defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion at the weekend.

The defeat ended our 31-game unbeaten home streak and also extended our shameful winless run against the Seagulls to five matches across all competitions.

United have only taken six points from their opening five games, which leaves the club languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League rankings in 13^th place.

The former Red Devils skipper was unimpressed by the team’s display in the defeat to the Seagulls, but insisted it was unsurprising, given the difference in performance levels between both sides.

“I was worried at the start of the season,” Neville said (via Sky Sports).

“There was this feeling Manchester United had got their business done early in the transfer window, and that was good, but I was concerned the players they had brought in wouldn’t improve them from last season.

“I never thought for one second they would challenge Manchester City and Arsenal from the players that they brought in.

“That would have needed a Harry Kane-type signing or Declan Rice, as an example. They didn’t have the money to do those types of signings.

“They’re not very good at the moment. There’s no hysteria. I went to the Brighton game as a fan thinking, ‘Could I be surprised?’.

“But 72,000 Manchester United fans in that stadium, who are informed and know Brighton and know their current team, I don’t think any of them were surprised at what they saw.”

Next is a trip to Germany for our Champions League Group A opener against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena.