Phil Neville “couldn’t believe” the difference at Manchester United when he returned to the club to work as a coach under David Moyes.

Sir Alex Ferguson ended his 26-year spell as United boss in 2013 after winning 38 major trophies and was replaced at the helm by David Moyes in what was the start of an ongoing crisis spanning 13 years to date.

Neville, who came up through the United academy and won plenty of silverware himself Old Trafford before for Everton, returned to work as Moyes’ assistant and was “shocked” by what he witness after going back.

Speaking on CBS Sports Golazo this week, he explained: “Sir Alex Ferguson left and I was part of the coaching staff with David Moyes.

“What I witnessed going from being part of the club for the glory years, the years where we were successful, then going back with David Moyes, I witnessed a different type of club.

“I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I was seeing where the focus wasn’t on the football pitch.

“I was seeing where the manager didn’t have the final say. I was seeing where the manager couldn’t pick signings.

“The signings were based purely on how famous they were, how many followers they had, how much sponsorship they could make…

“I was shocked. I hated it, I really did.

“What I experienced in the 10 months with David Moyes is no different to what Jose Mourinho, Louis van Gaal, Ruben Amorim, Ole Gunnar Solskjaerand now Michael Carrick is facing.

“The club needs sorting from top to bottom.”

‘A real circus’

Neville believes the departure of CEO David Gill, who left Old Trafford at the same time as Ferguson, was also a significant factor in the club’s downfall.

He continued: “They had a manager in Sir Alex Ferguson, they had a CEO in David Gill, who was disciplined. The manager was disciplined. They run the club.

“I know they had the Glazers in at the time – the supporters had never been happier with the Glazers – but they run the club from top to bottom. Whatever they said, it happened.

“The year after, new CEO, new manager, and all of a sudden I just felt… It just became a circus.

“It became a real circus where the manager lost control of what was about.

“You look at the best clubs in Europe, best clubs in world football, who would you say are the best-run clubs?

“PSG, Brighton, Aston Villa, Arsenal – they’re just a few where from top to bottom there is alignment.

“I don’t think that happens at Man Utd.”