Patrice Evra is well-regarded among Manchester United fans as a fantastic left-back who played a crucial role in the club’s Premier League and Champions League triumphs.
However, the 41-year-old recently shared a funny anecdote about how he nearly caused harm to Gary Neville, and upset his teammates and manager in the process.
Evra arrived at the club from Monaco in 2006 and spent nine seasons as a key player on the left flank.
Throughout his time at Manchester United, Evra was a vital member of the team, helping the club win five Premier League titles and one Champions League trophy.
He played alongside some of the club’s greatest players, including Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs, and Rio Ferdinand, among others.
During six of those seasons, Evra formed a formidable partnership with Gary Neville on the left flank, which was widely regarded as one of the most successful full-back pairings in the Premier League’s history.
Neville retired from football in 2011, after which Evra continued to play for Manchester United until he left for Juventus in 2014.
How Evra “nearly killed” Neville
However, their partnership was not without its share of drama. In a training session, Evra retaliated against a rough challenge from Neville, which almost led to a physical altercation between the two players.
The incident angered their teammates and manager, but the situation eventually calmed down, and the two players were able to put their differences aside to continue their successful partnership on the pitch.
“I nearly killed Gary Neville, I’ll be honest with you,” Evra says. “Sir Alex Ferguson stopped the training session.
“So I remember I get the ball, then Gary Neville comes.
“So he tackled me. He touched the ball but he got a little bit of me, so I was like that on the floor.”
Lying down on the floor, Evra explains that he stared Neville down.
“He was standing exactly the way that you are. I said, ‘Gary you won’t say sorry?’ He looked at me and said, ‘f*** off.’”
That apparently flipped a switch in the Frenchman’s head.
“When he said that, that’s when he brings me back to the street, the hood. I was like fine,” he continues.
“I just stand up, I cleaned my shin. I said, ‘game on.’
“The ball arrived to his chest. I run, I put my two legs in his chest.
“He did a backflip and nearly broke his neck. I remember when Rooney came: ‘You are crazy, what are you doing?’
“I said, ‘next time he will say sorry.’”
Everyone then apparently went after Evra, and it got so bad that the boss had to stop the training session and send everyone inside.
“I love Gary, he’s such a good man, a great captain. But that day I was like, ‘Nah man, you’re not ready for that.’”
It would have been amazing just to see it all happen first-hand.
Watch: Evra remembers the day he went for Neville
@patriceevra Everyone at @Manchester United went crazy over this challenge I did on @gneville2 😡😅 Full video out on my YouTube channel tomorrow with @JeremyLynch 📹 #ilovethisgame #positive4evra #garyneville #manchesterunited #mufc #manunited #football #footballtiktok #juventus #fyp ♬ original sound – Patrice Evra
After leaving Manchester United in 2014, Evra joined Italian powerhouse Juventus and played for three seasons, winning the league title in each season.
He then returned to France to play for Marseille before a short spell at West Ham in his final season.
However, his legacy will always be associated with his time at Manchester United, where he was a key player in the club’s success.
The recent story about the incident with Neville has only added to his reputation as a beloved figure among United fans.